Brooks' 1st Birthday Party!

Brooks' birthday party was so special and we had much fun just watching him be the special little boy that he is. Brooks revealed his bashful side when we started singing to him...he buried his face into my shoulder until the song was over and then looked at everyone smiling! So funny! This past year has been beyond wonderful and we are so thankful and blessed to have Brooks as our little boy. We love him more than words. Happy First Birthday to my baby!

The birthday boy!

Just after singing to him and him burying his face in mama's shoulder!


Getting ready to eat some banana muffin!


Mmm...sooooo good!

Opening his presents...

The cutest little birthday boy I've ever known!



All his ladies (1 and under) - Tatum, Jenna, Brooks, Addison, & Julia

Brooks is ONE!

My baby boy is ONE today! I can't believe it! So much has happened in the past year...and it feels like it flew by, as I knew it would. We feel so blessed to have Brooks. He is one special little boy that we adore more with each passing day. He puts a smile on my face every single morning and we thank God for the amazing gift he is. I fell in love with him the very first moment I saw him that special morning...exactly a year ago today. I am so thankful to be a mommy and feel so blessed to be Brooks' mommy!

We celebrated today by having lunch with daddy. We celebrated with family and friends on Saturday and will post pictures soon.

He was so fun to watch at his dr. appt. on Monday. He is still getting to know Dr. Evans and he makes us laugh every time. He weighs 23lb 2oz and this puts him in the 60% for weight. He is 29 3/4in and this puts him in the 50% for height.

He was helping the Dr. out as he was listening to his chest

He was being very still as his ears were getting checked out

Here's a picture of his first bandage at the doctor's! He got his toe pricked to check his blood. His numbers were a bit low, but the dr. thinks it is his inherited sickle cell trait from daddy. He just watched the nurse as she did the blood collection. Mama was nervous, but thankfully he didn't even realize what was going on. In fact, he took the opportunity in the car on the way home to take the bandaid off himself!

Today was a special day...and I will never forget the day my baby was brought into this world! Even when we are celebrating his 20th birthday, it will always be special. We want to celebrate not only the day he was born, but also the amazing gift of life. The life that God has given us, the health we have been given so that we may enjoy life to it's fullest, and the joy of friends and family to spend this wonderful life with. We love you to pieces, Brooks Matthew Miller. May you always seek after God with your whole heart and love Him more than life. You are our blessing from the Lord and we are forever thankful for you.

Florida Beach Vacation

We just got home from a wonderful, fun-filled vacation to Florida! The weather was a bit chilly, but at least it was warmer than home. Our dear friends, Tim & Sondra, came with us and we had a blast vacationing together. We enjoyed morning walks on the beach, afternoons watching the waves and feeling the crazy wind in our faces, and fabulous dinners out each evening. This trip was extra special since it was Brooks' first time at the beach. He loved feeling the sand and crawling in it! He was pretty good about trying not to eat it - once he discovered he didn't like the taste of it! I was so thankful he didn't get it in his eyes. And I am also very thankful how great of a traveller he is. We can't wait to take him again once he can play more and experience it as a toddler! Being back at the beach, the very same beach I grew up vacationing on, brought back so many fond childhood memories and I can't wait to pass those memories on to Brooks as he gets older. It was nearly next to impossible to pick out a few pictures to post, but I did my best at narrowing it down.

This was Brooks' first time feeling the sand between his fingers

Looks as though mommy needs to buy him some shades...love the lil squinty face!

During one of our morning walks

One of our dinners was at Hog's Breath BBQ...very good but only wish we could have stayed for the live band

One of our many special moments on the beach

Brooks feeling like he is on top of the world with daddy!

Tim & Sondra chillin beachside

This was my personal favorite dinner spot...Harry T's. We sat right on the bay and were able to see dolphins in the water (I somehow missed them!)

Our feet in the sand...couldn't see well through our camera lens, so this was the best I could do at taking this picture