The Miller Family

Swimming with B

2010-04-22T09:43:00.008-04:00

Brooks has always loved the water. Bath time has always been so much fun for him and he has never minded water in his face. So, we enrolled him in swimming lessons (aka water tots) at our local community center a couple months ago and he is loving it! Now, we use the term "lessons" very loosely. Obviously, there is only so much to be taught at this age, however, we all have a fun time! Matt and I have been taking turns getting in the water with him, and my first time was of course the time they have us dunk them under water for the first time! Just my luck. I looked at Matt and said, "really?! Are you kidding me!" Yes, I dunked him after thinking long and hard about not going through with it and with Matt's strong nod of YES...do it! And in the end Brooks didn't even bat an eye. He's such a trooper. I think mama was more scared than him.

Practicing his back stroke...

Splashing daddy...I love Matt's expression in this pic!

Brooks' First Haircut!

2010-04-14T23:04:00.006-04:00

Since Brooks is one now, the time has come to cut my baby's hair. I wanted to wait until after his first birthday since I knew he would look so much bigger afterwards. And that makes me sad. But since I was constantly brushing it out of his eyes, I was as ready as I could be. We were so happy to have Aunt Nicole cut Brooks' hair...which made it so much more special. Thanks Aunt Nicole!

Brooks' 1st Birthday Party!

2010-03-29T14:22:00.013-04:00

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!

2010-03-24T11:34:00.021-04:00

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

2010-03-16T12:22:00.023-04:00

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

Birthday Celebrations

2010-02-28T11:55:00.013-05:00

Here is a quick synopsis of our fun-filled month of February birthday celebrations!

Little Miss Tatum turned 1 on the 15th of February and we attended her fun birthday party.

The birthday girl looovving her frosting!

Tatum and her mama

Brooks and Tatum

On the 13th of February, we celebrated Jason, my sister's husband's 40th birthday. He was surprised to find a house full of his closest family and friends one evening after their family went to dinner. We all had a great time...so great that we didn't take many pictures!

Here is Brooks' typical "hello" face...cracks us up!

And we of course celebrated daddy's birthday on the 14th (picture in previous post). We are looking forward to celebrating the day God brought Brooks into this world...one glorious, magical, blessed day that was! It will be here soon!

11 Months...

2010-02-24T08:05:00.001-05:00

Brooks is 11 months old and he has learned so much in the past month it seems. He started crawling the beginning of February and boy is he on the move! He explores everything and everywhere. He is very good at "cruising" and standing for 3-4 seconds on his own. He started climbing the stairs about a week ago and it has been so fun to watch the proud look on his face once he reaches the top! He has began waving hi and bye. He also says dada and mama. I'm pretty sure he knows who dada and mama are now. He hasn't called out to us directly yet, but I'm sure he will soon.

Brooks has come a long way in the food department as well. He has gotten really good at chewing his food. He would spit everything out of his mouth that wasn't baby food for a while but I believed that Brooks would begin eating food soon enough and when he was ready, and sure enough he did just that! All of a sudden it was like something clicked in his brain telling him to chew! His two top front teeth are completely in, but that is it. We are still waiting for those bottom ones.

Brooks loves the outside, even the freezing cold! Just as everyone else is stiffening up from the cold, he is sticking his chin out with a huge smile on his face enjoying every minute! He has always loved the wind in his face - warm or cold. He loves books, as I've previously mentioned. We read together at least 3 times/day. He enjoys turning the pages himself. In one particular book of animals, each page is a picture of an animal. Every time we come to the page with the picture of the panda bear, Brooks gives the panda a kiss! :) I think the panda is his favorite animal so far. Brooks loves to ride on grandpa and daddy's shoulders. He laughs and giggles with such joy every time! He twirls his tongue (something mommy can't do) all the time. He loves to be sung to - especially if someone is singing on TV. He stops what he's doing just to watch. I sing to him often during the day so maybe that's why he seems to like it so much. (Glad to know someone appreciates mommy's singing!) Probably one of the silliest things that Brooks loves is mommy's belly! He pulls my shirt up, gets a huge smile, and buries his face in it every time! I love it! He likes daddy's belly too, but only to pull his hair out! :)

It has been so fun to watch his personality start to really come out the past couple of months. He makes the funniest faces and has such a funny way of letting you know what he wants. He is our sunshine and our sweet, sweet blessing from God.

On a snowy day with mama

He looovvves his nakedness!

Could he get any cuter?!

Celebrating daddy's birthday :)

Happy Birthday to My Love!

2010-02-14T08:19:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday to the Love of my life! Brooks and I adore you. You make us smile and laugh more than anyone else in the world. Thank you for being the most incredible husband, daddy, and best friend. God has truly blessed me with you and I thank Him every day for giving you to me! I tell Brooks just about every day how special his daddy is. It won't be long before he will know this to be true, not because I tell him so, but because he will see, know, and feel it. You are one of a kind! I love you with all of my heart. Happy Birthday Baby!

My Sweet Sleeping Baby...

2010-01-26T15:55:00.011-05:00

When we checked on B during his nap one day, this is what we found! How can this be comfortable?! He loves to snuggle and this time was caught snuggling with his bumper! Some parents don't use one, but goodness if I didn't, he'd be hitting his head all the time on the hard wood side rails.

This was just too cute not to share! :)

10 Months...

2010-01-24T12:28:00.012-05:00

Today, my baby boy is 10 months old. I am savoring, as with every month, every single day because before long, he will be a little toddler! He said his first word... MAMA! We aren't quite sure if he knows that mama is me, but it seems as though he knows. I am always saying "mama loves you...give mama kisses...come here to mama...etc., so I wouldn't be surprised. He frequently gives kisses and is comprehending more and more everyday. He even gives kisses to the pictures of babies in his books that we read to him! It is so sweet! His teeth are continuing to work their way through and when I put my finger in his mouth today, I could feel it. He still loves to crinkle his nose and pucker his lips...as seen in a picture below of this absolutely adorable face. At 10 months, he is still not excited about any food other than his baby food. And when we have offered a sippy cup, he is more interested in playing with it than drinking anything from it. We are practicing every day so he can drink from a cup rather than a bottle once he is weaned. Enjoy some pictures of our little B-ster...

At the park...NOT a jail! :)

His famous "crinkle nose" smile

Love these chubby leggies

New Year's Eve 2009

2010-01-18T10:06:00.007-05:00

Here are a couple pictures from our New Year's Eve celebration at Steve & Jenni's. We always have such a fun time and as you can see, our families are growing! It's so much fun to see all the kids grow up together. This year was our 10th year together celebrating New Years! Can't believe it has been that long! In the picture of the kids, we are missing Isabella...we couldn't snap the picture fast enough! Charity came for a little while but without Michael since his family was in town visiting. We also missed the Vaughters family. Already looking forward to next year with some new additions! :)

Caden, Aden, Tatum, Brooks, Allison, & Abby

Christmas 2009

2010-01-14T16:17:00.009-05:00

We had a fabulous Christmas this year...little late with the post, but better late than never! :) Brooks was absolutely adorable in his Santa suit on Christmas Eve that daddy had bought him. We had so much fun opening presents with him on Christmas morning. Brooks actually opened his first gift from us as if he knew what he was doing and smiled the whole time! He was just as much into the gift as he was the paper. We spent the afternoon of Christmas Eve, as we always do since I was a little girl, at my aunt & uncles house and then we go on that evening to my grandpa's. After opening gifts on Christmas morning, we had brunch at my mom & dad's. Here are some of my favorite pictures from this Christmas.

Our little Santa

We started a tradition of opening Christmas Eve PJ's with Brooks...

Christmas morning...

Christmas Day with Madeline & Camille

Brooks was reading about Jesus...he loves to read!

Madeline, Camille, & I

Love this smile!

Snow, Snow, Snow...

2010-01-08T10:45:00.015-05:00

We had our first big snow yesterday and had a blast taking Brooks out to see and feel it! He and I haven't left the house in 3 days since it has been so crazy cold out - just love being snowed in with my little one. We are getting a bit of cabin fever, so we are anxious for the weekend for daddy to take us out! Here's our little snow bunny...

Mom please take me outside!

9 Months...

2010-01-07T15:15:00.000-05:00

My baby is 9 1/2 months old now and changing so much everyday. I have seen more change in the past month than I have since he was around 6 months old! He has started "army crawling", pulling/standing up against/on everything! Every morning and after every nap, I walk into his room with him standing against his crib with the biggest smile on his face - probably thinking he is sooo big! Love it! :) He claps his (chubby lil) hands, knows his name (which is amazing since we call him a million other names like punkin, sweetie pie, bubby, B, B-ster, etc.), loves to wrestle/roll around the floor with mommy and daddy, crinkles his nose, gives kisses. And mama was so happy yesterday when I asked him for a kiss, he leaned forward and gave me one! Yay...he's been giving kisses for a while but I've never known if he actually knew what he was doing other than lovin on mommy. So that was the first time he actually gave me one upon request! He has also given kisses to daddy and grandma! Melts my heart every time!

At the doctor on Tuesday, his stats were:

Weight of 21.2 lbs putting him in the 48% and Height of 28 1/2 in. putting him in the 60%. I always love seeing him interact with the doctor and to see how differently he interacts than his last appointment. I'm sure his next appt. will be so different too since it will be his 1 year well-visit. Crazy to think he is almost 1 year old! Yikes! Did that year really go by already?!

Enjoy some pictures below from his doctor's visit...

Patiently waiting for the doctor

Getting to know Dr. Evans better - giving him a "nose crinkle"!

Love this picture of him looking out the window - it showcases his chubby legs and how big he's getting! Just wanna squeeze'em! :)

All done and ready to go outside in the freezing cold

Getting ready to climb up his jumperoo

**Stay tuned for Christmas and New Years posts!

Orlando - Disney 2009

2010-01-03T12:12:00.015-05:00

In early December, our family took a trip to Orlando. My sister's family and my parents went, along with the 3 of us. My parents were there for an all expense paid trip they had earned through their Amway business, so my sister decided it would be a great time to take her family. Matt & I tagged along and were able to see our other niece and nephew, Nick and Olivia, and Matt's mom, Cathy. They travelled up to Orlando from Naples for a couple days. We visited Magic Kingdom one day, relaxed by the pool another day, and were able to visit other sites along the way. The weather was not the best & very chilly for FL, around the mid-60's, but we came prepared. Our room we stayed in was a suite that had 2 bedrooms, 2 full baths, a living area, and a full kitchen. That made travelling with a baby so much more comfortable. The plane ride there and back turned out wonderful - Brooks fell asleep in my arms both times. I was a little worried how he would do, but the flight didn't bother him a bit. Here are a few pictures from our Disney vacation...

The 3 of us after lunch at T-Rex

Brooks & Mommy on the plane

Madeline, Nick, Camille, & Olivia

Madeline & Camille at T-Rex

Brooks relaxing & staying warm! Brrrr!

Notice Olivia's face painted - so cute!

Nick & Olivia after a long day

Brooks LOVING the water!

Swimming with daddy (thankful for a heated pool!)

Brooks loved the feel of the FL grass...

Happy Birthday Jesus!

2009-12-24T14:27:00.006-05:00

The God who opens the womb, giving the gift of children, became a child growing in the womb of a woman.

The One we depend on for everything became dependent on human parents.

The One who holds the universe in His hands was held in the arms of Mary.

The One who created the first woman was born of a woman.

The Ancient of Days became a newborn.

The Helper became a helpless baby.

The Creator became a creature.

(I read this from a friend's blog and had to share. Just love it!)

Merry Christmas! Let's celebrate the birth of our Saviour! Happy Birthday Jesus! We thank you for all our many blessings - and praise you for your miraculous life, love, and sacrifice.

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-12-17T21:36:00.014-05:00

I am sooo behind on my blogging, but I couldn't forget to include our Thanksgiving festivities. We spent Thanksgiving with Matt's dad and step-mom in northern IN. We always have so much fun visiting them and of course Brooks loves to see Grandpa, Nonna, more cousins, aunts & uncles! On our way, we stopped at Arnold's Drive-In as usual. On our way into town, we stopped to see Granny Miller. She was so surprised and happy to see us! She is always so gracious and thankful. That evening, we were blessed by a visit from Uncle Tim & Aunt Sondra. So happy to see them and thankful they took the time to come see us!

For Thanksgiving dinner, Bobbie made her delicious steaks along with the sides we all love - sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, etc. I've never been a big red meat girl, and really didn't like it until I was pregnant - which is when I craved red meat. I blame my newfound liking to steak on Brooks. Dinner was wonderful! Bobbie is the hostess with the mostess!

The next morning we had our usual breakfast at Essenhaus - but just the 3 of us this time. Sooo good! We also had to visit the mall - I really enjoy the Christmas hussle and bussle at the mall. Some people hate it, but I love it! Didn't do any buying, but enjoyed ourselves anyway.

We visited one of Matt's childhood friends, Justin, and his family. Justin and Erin were in town from CO and we don't get to see them often since Matt & Justin both moved away after college. We had a short visit, but good to see them, as always.

Unfortunately, our trip up north was cut short by Brooks' sleeping escapades, or lack thereof. For some reason, he would wake up every 2-3 hours. Thought maybe his teeth were bothering him , but Tylenol didn't even do the trick. So, in order for mama to get some sleep, we decided to come home early - after only 2 nights. The fact that we were leaving for FL the following week contributed to our decision to leave. The sooner we could get home and get Brooks' sleep back to "normal" the better. (Funny thing is, he has slept great since, EVEN in FL! Who knows!) That little stinker! :)

Enjoy some photos from our lovely Thanksgiving 2009...

Our delicious dinner

Brooks & Granny

Brooks with Uncle Tim & Aunt Sondra

Jaden teaching Brooks how to play piano

Justin & Matt with Logan & Brooks

Brooks opening his very First Christmas presents from Grandpa & Nonna

8 Months

2009-11-24T13:10:00.010-05:00

My beautiful baby boy is 8 months old today! Unbelievable! We are so very blessed and thankful for him. He has brought so much joy and love to our family. He's only been here for 8 months, but I'm not sure what we did before him. It's as if he's always been with us. He is so much fun - a bundle of laughs, giggles, coos, and babble! He hasn't started crawling yet, but probably will any day now. I'm not worried or rushing him - I kind of like being able to leave the room without looking back wondering where he is off to or if he is following me. Enjoying it while it lasts! :) Here are some recent pics of him. By the way, according to our scale at home, he is weighing 20 lbs!

What a beautiful little smile...

The look on his face here is priceless...

Daddy & Brooks on his 1st Halloween

Brooks' Dedication

2009-11-16T12:30:00.001-05:00

Brooks was dedicated to the Lord on October 25th, 2009! This most important day was incredibly special and we will remember the celebration forever. We are so thankful to our families who were present to share in our joy and praise. And we are so thankful they committed to join us in lifelong prayer for Brooks and our family. The verse we chose for Brooks is below - this is our prayer for him:

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Colossians 1:9-12

Our family with Pastor Jeff

Such a special day...you are our gift from the Lord, Brooks. May you follow Him all the days of your life. He is our comforter, our deliverer, our provider, our joy, our strength, our Saviour.
We all love you and will pray for you continually - may you seek Him in all you do and love Him with all your heart.

Brooks & Tay-Tay!

2009-10-31T12:57:00.007-04:00

We were able to visit Charity & Tatum a few weeks ago. They are so cute together. Not quite old enough to interact much, but they're getting there. When we first put them next to each other, they barely looked at the other. Then after a few minutes they were grabbing each other and we eventually had to separate them! They may be little, but they sure have a mean "grab"! Ha, ha!

Tatum has her cute little hand on Brooks

I think Brooks was wanting to kiss her here :)

Now he wanted to eat her hands!

Ah, sweet Tatum lovin on Brooks

7 Months!

2009-10-24T12:15:00.005-04:00

Brooks is 7 months old today. Can't believe it. He has been changing so much lately. Sometimes I look at him and see such a "big boy"! He is so much fun and so easy going. This past month, he had his first trip to a pumpkin patch/fruit farm. And he also caught his first cold. :( He was congested for about 2 weeks and his cough is still lingering. Sleep was quite challenging for him at first, but he is much better now. He was such a trooper through it all. Didn't hardly fuss at all, except at night when he couldn't sleep. And thankfully he never developed a fever. Here are some pictures of this past month...

Checking out his bat

Love it when he makes this face...

First Bites!

2009-10-17T13:39:00.006-04:00

Well, it's been a while since lil Brookser had his first bites, so I better let you all know how my little one likes his new taste of food. He loves it! We offered his first food, sweet potatoes ( a mommy favorite!), and he didn't bat an eye! He acted as though he'd been eating this stuff all along. And let me tell ya, he has liked everything we have fed him. No funny faces. No refusals. Just eat. Ha! Hopefully this means that our little guy won't be a picky eater like his mama and daddy were! :) Here are a couple of our favorite pics of him having his first bites, and his first try at a sippy cup!

Patiently waiting for his first bite

6 Months...

2009-09-27T20:51:00.005-04:00

Brooks is 6 months old! I can't believe that in another 6 months he will be 1 year old! WOW. We are so incredibly blessed by the amazing gift of Brooks. We thank God constantly for him, he is the sweetest blessing. He is such a good boy - smiling all the time. His deep laughs crack us up! We can't wait to hear what his voice sounds like and for us to hear his deep little voice say "mama" or "dada". My heart will just melt all over again and again. As it does every single day. The doctor advised us to go ahead and start Brooks on some baby food! Yay! As I'm posting this, he's already had his first bites, but that will be in a blog all by itself.

Enjoy some pictures of his 6 month checkup...17lbs and 27 1/4 inches long...

Brooks didn't take his eye off of the nurse while on the scale!

Sitting in daddy's lap while the dr listens to his lungs

Brooks & Mommy waiting for the doctor

Go Irish!

2009-09-12T13:59:00.006-04:00

As many of you Notre Dame fans know, today ND plays Michigan and daddy & Brooks are way too excited. We had to take a picture of the two of them this morning before our walk to the bakery. I'm sure today's game will be the first of many more games to come that they will watch together! Brooks' ND onesie was a gift from Tim & Sondra last year before he was even born. For those of you that don't remember, I did a blog about his first ever outfit with a picture of it. It was hard to imagine our little one in it, and is so special to actually see him in it now. Go Irish!

P.S. Daddy didn't want me to post this until ND won today, but I disagreed - this picture is way too cute for words! :)

How He Loves

2009-09-06T22:02:00.001-04:00

Recently I heard a song on the radio that brought so much emotion up inside of me. You know how you can hear something one day and you don't think a whole lot about it, but then the next day, it touches you so differently or more intensely? Scripture will jump out at me one day and the next I can read the same exact Scripture and have it mean so much more. Holy Spirit, I'm sure. Well, while I was driving along my merry way the other day, I heard this song and started crying - very unexpectedly since it wasn't the first time I had heard this song.

Since I was a young girl, I have wanted to become a mommy. My mom had always told me that the love you have for your children will be indescribable and like nothing you have ever imagined. She was right. The love I have for Brooks is so amazingly wonderful, beautiful, abundant - words cannot express my love for him.

And when I heard this song, it made me really think much deeper about the love God has for us. He loves us much more than we can imagine - much more than I could ever possibly love Brooks. We will never be able to know the depth of His love here on earth. This is something I have always known, but don't always take the time to really reflect on God's love. Sad, but true. This song is so special to me - yes because the Holy Spirit spoke to me through it, but also because it describes so eloquently the depth of God's love.

I hope you are able to feel the words of this song as I did. After reading below, if you haven't heard the song, I encourage you to click on the link below to hear it. Beautiful, beautiful, song.

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

Oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.

And Heaven meets earth like an unforseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AIF_ieVre0

5 Months...

2009-08-24T14:13:00.024-04:00

And here we are again...at another birthday...Brooks is 5 months old today! I so cannot believe how fast time is flying. It feels like my little boy should still be a newborn and he is getting bigger and bigger as each day passes by.

At around 4 1/2 mths, Brooks started sleeping 10-12 hrs at night. It took me by surprise and I thought it was just a "phase" or a "growth spurt" at first. But he is our little sleeper. Although, when he started sleeping so long at night, he doesn't take 3 hr naps anymore! Only 1-2 hr naps in the morning and afternoon and sometimes in the early evening he'll take a cat nap of 45 min. He has a bedtime still of 9-9:30. It's so crazy how like clockwork, he'll get really sleepy and want to go to bed at the same time every night. How does he know what time it is? And he'll rise around 6:30-7:30. Sometimes if mama is really sleepy, I'll put him in bed with me and we'll have morning cuddle time. He will just lay there next to me for almost an hour talking, cooing, and playing. My eyes will be half closed, but I enjoy every single minute of it. It is just one of the many thousands of moments that I hope to remember forever. It is so special and I am so thankful to share those times with him.

Brooks displayed his first little "stranger anxiety" moment. It was quite a little one, but felt huge to me. So far since Brooks was born, during church Matt will hold him during worship and then I will hold him during the service. Just recently, he has gotten a little more verbal and may disturb those around us so I end up walking him around the back of the sanctuary. He's so good, but mama needs to learn and listen to the sermon, so I reluctantly agreed to see how he does in the nursery. I was uneasy with handing Brooks off to a "stranger", even though I know of the couple who were taking care of him, Jacob and Kris. So Matt suggested taking him while I got a bagel and coffee. Matt said that he handed Brooks to Jacob and Brooks looked at Matt, then back at Jacob, and then back at Matt with his lower lip puckered out ready to cry. Thankfully, it never turned in to a cry. But let me tell ya how happy I was that it was Matt to see that and not me! I would have caved and taken my baby boy with me into church. It helped knowing that Brooks was only going to be in the nursery for 45 minutes since we got to church late. Will someone please tell me that this part of parenting gets easier?! It's probably difficult for me since I had such a difficult time as a little girl with the whole "stranger" thing. I was attached to my mama's hip until I was about 7 years old!

Brooks has discovered his voice...it's so funny to hear him coo and talk just making noises to hear himself! And the other day, we had him laughing for over 10 minutes straight! It was too funny - and oh how he loves playing peek-a-boo.

Enjoy some recent pictures of our little bundle of joy!

4 Months Old!

2009-07-31T10:53:00.010-04:00

Brooks is 4 months old as of a week ago. He is changing so much every single day. At his Dr.appt. on Tuesday, he weighed 15lbs 11 oz and is 25 1/2 inches long. He is in the 75th percentile, so he's not THAT big of a boy! :) He has been sleeping great for a while now, so thankful for that. He goes to bed around 9:30 and wakes at 4 or 5 for breakfast and then back to sleep until around 7 or 8. He also takes a 2-3 hr nap in the morning and a 1 hr nap in the afternoon. Sometimes he naps longer, but I think he's starting to take shorter naps the older he gets. He has been able to roll over since he was around 3 1/2 mths, and does it all the time! One of the funniest things he does now is the relationship he has with his friend the bird on his bouncy seat. During our dinner time, we'll usually put Brooks in his seat so he can be next to us. After a few minutes of playing, he grabs a hold of his bird and argues with it! He won't let go for anything and starts to get mad after a while. It is so funny. We will have to get that on video. He laughs, giggles, smiles, talks to us, and loves to cuddle. He is definitely a physical, touchy baby, which I love. I love it when he is eating, he will rub his fingers on my arm. And when he is falling asleep on me, he will rub his fingers on my face or mouth. So precious! I just melt! Here are a few recent pictures of our little Brookser...

Brooks & Mommy waiting for Dr.Evans

Brooks & Daddy

Brooks' First Swim & Visit with Tatum

2009-07-14T14:30:00.002-04:00

Brooks & Tatum

We went to Indianapolis to visit friends last weekend. It was the first time Brooks has swam and he had his 2nd date with one of his girls, Tatum. She is such a doll baby. Can't wait until they are a bit older and interact more with each other. Brooks liked the water and enjoyed his first swim so much! Here are a few pics of our wonderful time with the Humphrey family...so glad they got to see Brooks for his first swim! :)

I love his face in this picture...I think he's ready to get out!

This is such a common expression on Brooks' face

Charity & Tatum

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-10T13:56:00.010-04:00

Brooks in his 4th of July outfit...

We spent the 4th with friends in Indianapolis. Since it rained most of the day, we didn't see any fireworks. But if you know me, I wasn't disappointed since when it comes to fireworks, I can take'em or leave'em. I don't think Brooks would be crazy about them either (at this age anyway)since he's not a fan of sudden loud noises. Here's a few pictures of Brooks' first 4th of July! He is too precious for words...

My sweet smiling boy

Brooks & Aden
(I think it's funny how Brooks looks almost as big as Aden and he is almost 2!)

The guys and babes

Steve, Brooks, Isabella, Matt, & Aden

Brooks is 3 months old!

2009-07-02T10:26:00.012-04:00

Okay, so my baby boy is already 3 months old! I'm about a week late on this post, but that's okay. Every day with Brooks is absolutely amazing and wonderful. I love him so much, and more and more everyday. He is changing so fast, it seems like my little boy is growing up already! His 0-3 month clothes are getting too small, and he already wears some 3-6 mth clothes. We put him in a 3 mth sleeper last night, and his toes are squished at the edge, so when that comes off today, it will be put in a box with his newborn things. I don't know why, but it makes me so sad to see him getting bigger - I think because I can already look back and say, "when he wore that...blah, blah, blah". My baby is only 3 mths old, how can I already be talking about his past wardrobe?! Anyway, he is right at about 15lbs! My little chunker! He has been laughing more and more, especially when you tickle him. I've been trying to get his laughs, smiles, and jabbering on video, but he immediately gets camera shy as soon as the camera comes out. My mom saw him roll over twice! Despite my attempts at encouraging him to do it again, I haven't seen it yet. He sleeps through the night for the most part, getting up once to either eat or to be put on his belly. I know you're not supposed to, but he LOVES his belly and will sleep so sound and for hours! His head has great control and strength so I'm not worried. I have to admit, I miss some of those nighttime feedings with him. Those were such special times for he and I and even though I now wake up more rested, I wake up with a feeling of missing him. I can't wait to get him up and cuddle him. He wakes up with a huge smile on his face and talks to me as if he's telling me all about his dreams...I think he misses mommy at night too!

He loves to nuzzle into mommy's arm

Dear Brooks . . . from your daddy

2009-06-23T21:48:00.006-04:00

Dear Brooks,

I just experienced my 1st Father’s Day, and wanted to write you a short letter to let you know what you mean to your daddy.

I always wondered what it would feel like when I became a dad, and I can honestly tell you that all my expectations pale in comparison for what I truly feel. When I look at your chubby cheeks, your perfect lips (thank your mother for those), and your inquisitive eyes – I can’t quite remember what my life was like before you came along. You are only 3 months old now, but you already have a tight grip on your daddy’s heart.

As you learn to crawl, walk, & talk – I will also be learning. I will be learning how to be a dad to you. And just as you will sometimes fall, I’m sure that I will make mistakes, but I promise you I will always try my best. I understand that being a dad is too big of a job to take on by myself, so I promise you that I will daily look to the Lord to give me the wisdom it will take to succeed at the greatest job ever.

Brooks, I want you to know that there is one thing that will never change about your daddy. I will always love your mom with all of my heart, and there is no person on this earth that is more important to me than her. My love for your mom will never fail because it is not based on feelings that can go up & down, but instead it is grounded on a commitment that we made to each other, before God, on June 2nd, 2001. And because of this, you can be secure in knowing that mommy & daddy will always be together.

I look forward to when we can play catch together in the backyard, but I don’t want you to grow up too fast. I will savor every stage of your life because I know we can never turn back the clock. I love you Brooks, and will always be there for you.

Love,
Dad

Visit to Grandpa & Grandma Miller's

2009-06-18T22:48:00.012-04:00

Granny Miller & Brooks

We took Brooks to his Grandpa & Grandma Miller's house last weekend. It was his first long car ride of 4 1/2 hours and he did wonderful! He slept most of the time. We stopped on the way there and on the way back at our favorite burger joint - Arnold's Drive In in Decatur, IN. He loved it! At least we think he did since we got to eat outside on a picnic table. Brooks loves it outside. We had such a great time with the family and were so happy he was able to meet his great-grandma Miller. We took several special pictures of him and Granny that will be treasured forever.

Grandpa & Nonna

Us at the Essenhaus

Brooks & Mommy

Cousins Nick & Olivia

Cousins Eva & Jaden

4 Generations of Millers

Grocery Store Blowout

2009-06-16T15:40:00.004-04:00

I just have to share with you my crazy trip to the grocery store today. Today was the first time I decided to take Brooks to the grocery store by myself. Yes, I know, he's almost 3 months old, but Matt would usually just stop on his way home and I haven't gotten back to cooking much since he was born (as if I ever cooked much!). Anyway, on my way there, it started to sprinkle. No big deal, but going in and out of the store with Brooks in the Bjorn probably wouldn't be fun if it was pouring. So I am praying the rain holds off until I at least get in to the store. Once I'm at the store, I hop in the back seat and start to strap him in the carrier, when I notice that my arm is completely soaked and yellow! Oh no! He had a total blowout! It is all over him and me and the car seat! I immediately think, "how am I going to change him in the back of the car and in the rain?!" (When I'm out, I usually open up the back to our Pilot and change him there versus going into some public place.) Well, I had to do it, so as I'm changing him and cleaning it off his entire body - no kidding - even his toes - I realized that mommy forgot to bring a clean outfit! Oh no! So after I finally cleaned him up, I put him back in the dirty car seat with nothing but a diaper to go home. As I was driving home, I looked down at my arm and noticed it was still a bit yellow - I didn't clean myself off very well in all the fury! No grocery store for mommy and Brooks today. Once we got home, Brooks fell asleep immediately - I guess he was wore out! Can't wait to share with him one day what his first grocery store trip with mommy was like!

The King of Country

2009-05-31T15:42:00.014-04:00

Here's George singing his 57th #1 hit "I Saw God Today"

Matt surprised me with my very first Mother's Day gift of George Strait concert tickets, as in a previous post. For those of you who don't know me, he is my absolute fave. In one word, he is classic. Just classic. Every song he sang at his concert, I absolutely love. He has so many stinkin #1 hits (the most of any artist in ANY genre) that you can't go wrong by seeing him in concert. I have been wanting to see him in concert for a while now (last time I saw him was in high school). But, he always sells out within minutes and he hasn't been to Cincy in a while either. So, I hadn't been keeping up with his concert schedule and was sooo surprised when Matt and Brooks surprised me. What a special gift! Love, love, love, my sweet husband. Although, as Matt would say, "George is the only 60 year old man I would ever leave him for!" Well, not really - I would obviously never leave him for anyone, but George is quite a handsome older man I must admit. Now I just need to get Matt a cowboy hat, boots, wranglers, and one of those belt buckles! Matt has become quite the fan himself. Anyway, here are a few pictures from our incredible evening that I will always remember. Our first outing just the two of us since Brooks was born.

The three of us before we left

The Montgomery Inn Ribs we shared

Us waiting for George

George

Us afterwards...anxious to go home to Brooks

Brooks is 2 months old!!

2009-05-28T14:01:00.008-04:00

Look at those LIPS!!

I can't believe my little boy is 2 months old! He is getting to be such a big boy...at his doctor appt. he weighed in at 13 lbs and 11 oz, 24 in. long! Here are a few pictures...

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-12T10:33:00.005-04:00

Mother's Day this year was extra special since it was my first one being a mommy. I am so thankful for the little blessing of Brooks and for my amazing husband. Brooks and daddy surprised me with the most wonderful gift. Something I have been wanting for a long time...George Strait tickets! It was so cute how Matt presented me my gift. He gave me my card and sat Brooks down next to me. He put in Brooks' lap an envelope that read, "To Mommy: From Brooks". It was so precious! I was so super surprised to open it to find the tickets. It was wonderful! Here's my little cutie patootie...

Brooks' One Month Checkup

2009-04-27T17:22:00.010-04:00

Today was Brooks' one month checkup. I can't believe he is a month old already! It seems like yesterday that we were bringing him home from the hospital. He weighs 11 lbs and is 22 1/2 in long! That's my growing boy! He was so great for the dr. - he just stared into his eyes and looked around at everything. The dr. said he is doing great and to come back in a month. Here are some recent pics of our precious little milk guzzler...

Love the little toesies

Our first walk

Brooks and Mommy

Tatum & Brooks...What a Pair!

2009-04-21T21:51:00.007-04:00

We had an exciting visit from our dear friends, Charity & Tatum, recently. Tatum is 9 weeks old and Brooks is almost 4 weeks in these photos. We got a kick at how much bigger Brooks is than Tatum and he is 5 weeks younger! Look at what cuties these two are...

Introducing Brooks Matthew...

2009-04-09T17:57:00.014-04:00

Our little precious blessing arrived on March 24th at 6:42 AM. He weighed 8 lbs 2 oz and was 20 in. long. Brooks Matthew is the cutest thing we have ever seen and we fall more in love with him every single day. We are so overwhelmed with joy and wonder at the amazing gift God has given to us. We are so thankful and abundantly blessed. As any mom knows, my time has been very sparse the past couple of weeks since his arrival, so I'm just now getting to this post. Here are some of my favorite pictures.

Latest Pregnancy Pics...and maybe the last...

2009-03-15T20:15:00.010-04:00

Here we are at 39 Weeks! We could be welcoming our sweet baby boy any day now. We are so excited with anticipation. I am already 3 cm dilated and 70% effaced. Hopefully my body will keep up the progression! We will let you know as soon as he arrives!

Pregnancy Photos!

2009-03-02T15:23:00.013-05:00

I have always wanted to have pregnancy photos taken long before I was even pregnant. There is a photo of my mom when she was pregnant with me that I cherish and love to look at from time to time, so I knew that I wanted to be able to provide that for my children, as well. (Maybe I'll scan that picture for a later post.) Matt & I have taken pregnancy photos every week from about 8 weeks to watch my progression, but these photos with the both of us in them are more meaningful and special. The two that are closeups of my belly are a little revealing for me to be putting on my blog, but I can't help but share them! Enjoy!

This is definitely one of my favorites

Welcome Home Tatum!

2009-02-22T19:56:00.006-05:00

Our dear friends, Charity & Michael, had their precious baby, Tatum, exactly a week ago today, February 15th at 7:07 in the morning. She weighed only 4lbs, 5oz and is the cutest little thing I've ever seen. She came into this world 5 weeks early with only needing extra warmth for the first few days. I saw her the day after she was born so I wasn't able to hold her or unwrap her and see her cute little body. She was able to go home with mama & daddy on Saturday. She is a precious gift from God and we are so thankful for her safe and healthy arrival.

Here are a couple pictures of Charity and I on the Friday night before she delivered (of course didn't realize this at the time). Our due dates were only 2 days apart - what are the chances of that happening?! But our kids will still have birthdays about a month apart.

Congratulations Michael & Charity! We are so happy for you. Tatum has two of the most wonderful parents who will love her to pieces. May God richly bless your family in the months and years to come. We love you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY LOVE!

2009-02-14T16:09:00.018-05:00

Today is a very special day - my wonderful husband's birthday! He is THE most amazing man who I adore more than words can say. I admire the man he is and his incredible love for the Lord. Everyone who crosses his path knows how incredibly special he is. I love every minute with him, from waking up next to him, to going to bed together at night. He makes me laugh more than anything or anyone ever has. I am so thankful for him and so blessed to be able to call him my husband and father of our children. Early on in my pregnancy, I was on my way to work and talking to our baby. I was praying for him and telling him how much we already love him, and when I started to tell him how wonderful and special his daddy is...I couldn't finish. I started crying and realized I better get it under control before my eyes get too puffy and my co-workers wonder what's wrong with me. He is going to be the most wonderful father and I can't wait to see him with our baby/children. I could go on and on about how wonderful Matthew D. Miller is and how much I love him. The past eight years together have been amazing, babe, and I can't wait to enter into this next stage of our lives! Happy Birthday, my love!

***The picture above is from our wonderful dinner tonight! Probably one of our last with just the 2 of us...:)

***Stay tuned for a recent belly shot

Showered With Love...Again!

2009-02-08T17:32:00.020-05:00

I was so blessed to have Matt's two sisters, Jamie & Nicole, host a shower for us with Matt's side of the family. We had a fabulous day that, like my other shower, I will always remember. During the shower, everyone crafted pages for a scrapbook with advice and thoughts for Matt & I. At the end of the shower, Jamie & Nicole had put all the pages in the book for me - it was so sweet! It will be fun someday when our baby is older to go back and read what everyone had written. And we got many great gifts, but most importantly we were able to celebrate the soon arrival of our baby with close family & friends. Matt and I are so thankful for such a wonderful family on both sides. Our little boy will be loved by so many wonderful people. Here are a few pictures of our day...

By the way...notice the special corsage on my wrist in the picture above. Nicole made it for me to wear - it was beautiful!

The delicious food and Eva :)

The so very delicious pettifore's (these were also from a bakery that Jamie & Nicole have gotten their birthday cakes from since childhood) YUM!

Aunt Jamie, Me, & Aunt Nicole

Me & Nonna (Grandma in Italian)

Eva & Jaden - all dressed up and lookin so darn cute!

Thank you so much, Jamie & Nicole, for making our day so very special. We are very thankful for you. We appreciate all the little details that made our day extra special, from the fresh flowers to the corsage to the scrapbook - it all was so very thoughtful. We love you!

Showered With Love...

2009-01-28T11:56:00.021-05:00

I have dreamed about my baby shower since I was a little girl. It was indeed one of the most special days of my life and will be remembered forever. My sister and mom more than exceeded my expectations of making my day super special. The most special part is having several dearly loved family & friends all in one place to share in the celebration of this wonderful journey Matt & I are about to enter in to. We are so grateful for our wonderful friends and family. I was a little camera crazy since I know the only part of my day that will last forever are the memories and the pictures! Here are a few of my favorites...

The beautiful table before it was devoured!

Notice the cupcakes - they were extra special because they came from a bakery that all of our birthday cakes have come from since I was a little girl...so special to me...

My sister's and I

Mommy, Daddy, and Grandma Cathy - so thankful grandma was able to come from Florida

My beautiful mama (Grandma) and I.

Me opening gifts...

Grandpa, Grandma, Mommy, & Daddy

Thank you dad, mom, & Whitney for making my day so much more special than I could have ever dreamed! The day will be cherished and remembered forever! I love you!

Miller & Sons Construction Co.

2009-01-20T23:03:00.005-05:00

Hello everyone - Matt here. I have decided to make a guest appearance writing about a recent adventure. I'm sure many of you watch HGTV and all of their home remodeling shows. They are fun to watch, but can also be quite dangerous. How are they dangerous, you may ask. I'll tell you. Here's a completely hypothetical conversation that may take place:

Amanda: Our kitchen floor is ugly
me: looks fine to me
Amanda: On HGTV they re-do floors all the time, and it's really pretty easy. We should do that.
me: I'm not much of a handy man.
Amanda: Ahh babe, you're the best. Bob Villa's got nothing on you!

And so my adventure began. Step #1 is getting dad on the phone to see if he wants to help. Sure, neither of us had ever laid flooring, but I did watch a 3 minute how-to video on YouTube. So dad willingly made the trek down to Cincy to help his home improvement challenged son put in a new kitchen floor. On our way back from Lowe's (1st trip), I asked dad how long he thought it would take. (for those that don't know, our kitchen is only about 100 square feet) It was about 4:00 at that time, and he said "I would love to be done by 10:00 tonight." I laughed of course - no way would it take us till 10:00!! No need to give details, but 10:00 came and went, Saturday morning came and went, lunch at Skyline Chili (Cincinnati tradition) came and went - and finally dad was on his way home around 7:00 Saturday night. So although we weren't the speediest crew, the finished product looks great. Thanks so much pops for your help, Amanda and I appreciate it!

And for anyone who would like to hire us, we would love to - but we charge by the hour. :)

Dad working hard, me taking a picture

Hey ladies, for an extra fee - we will work topless

The Finished Product

New Year's Eve Annual Reunion

2009-01-03T13:58:00.019-05:00

Every New Year's Eve we get together with our dear friends that we met through college. It has been a tradition since we all graduated so it's been about 8 years. Since we all live many miles apart from each other and don't get to visit often, it's so nice to know that at least once a year we all will get back together and catch up. We've spent several years childless and now our families are growing, so it is becoming a little more difficult to all have places to sleep and quiet places to put the children. Thankfully, Steve and Jenni are not only centrally located, but they also have the largest house of us all and for the past two years have volunteered to host all of us. This year, unfortunately, 3 couples were not able to make it. We missed you Kirk & Jessica, Brock & Angie, and Michael & Charity! Here are a few photos of our night.

The Knight Family

Jenni & Aden

Sondra & Isabella (showing off her muscles!)

The Ladies

The Fellas

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

2008-12-28T13:32:00.022-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! We did, and are very thankful for Jesus's birth, His incredible sacrifice, and His resurrection. And we are thankful for our health, our freedom, family, friends, and many other blessings. As we reflect and enjoy this Christmas, we can't help but think about what next year will be like. We are cherishing our last Christmas with just the two of us, yet at the same time are looking forward to experiencing Christmas with our little guy next year. Here are a few photos from our Christmas 2008.

Here are a couple photos from The Nutcracker ballet that we all went to. The girls loved it!

26 Weeks...

2008-12-14T17:40:00.013-05:00

Here are a couple updated pictures of me and my little growing sweet baby boy. We are now at 26 weeks with no more than 14 weeks to go! I can't believe it! Where has the time gone?! I love being pregnant and feeling him move and kick. One night last week, I watched my belly for about 20 minutes just watching him move around. The miracle of life is so amazing and we thank God everyday for His precious gift He is giving us. I am so thankful for a smooth pregnancy and praying it continues through the delivery. The most difficult aspect so far has been picking out nursery furniture & bedding. Decisions, decisions.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-07T23:43:00.004-05:00

Merry Christmas Everyone! We have had our tree up for a week, but I am just now getting around to posting on here. Sorry, it's not that great of a picture. I downloaded this particular one at home last night so I could write and post today at work. So, I don't have access to my other pictures so we'll just go with it. Maybe I'll post another one later this month. We always have so much fun putting it together, even though it is quite a task. We both put all the branches together, then Matt strings all the lights (nice job, babe!), and then I put all the ornaments on. Teamwork at it's finest! :)

This past weekend we went to the Cincinnati Zoo's Festival of Lights. It was very, very cold but we had fun anyway. Here's a picture of us ready to go home and thaw out! When we go again, it will definitely have to be a warmer day - I'm a wimp when it comes to cold weather. Put me by the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate and I'm set!

Happy Birthday to Madeline & Camille!

2008-11-17T20:10:00.011-05:00

My precious nieces had their birthday party a couple weeks ago. They are now 9 and 5 and I CANNOT believe how fast they are growing up! Madeline is in 3rd grade and is our little artist. She is so crafty and artsy...and talks like she's a teenager sometimes. Camille is in preschool and is a ball of fire! She's pretty competitive and loves to play games and of course win. The boys are already chasing her on the playground and she giggles when she talks about it. :) It's so cute. They're starting awfully young these days, aren't they?

They are both overjoyed with the upcoming addition to our family. As Camille would say, "has your baby hatched yet?"

IT'S A BOY!

2008-11-03T18:47:00.015-05:00

We are going to have a baby boy! Yes, a little Matthew running around! Our baby looks perfect and we are so thankful and blessed for a healthy baby. He is definitely a mover...the nurse commented on how much he moved around. I can definitely feel him pretty often. It's the greatest feeling to be able to feel him grow and move around. He weighs 12 ounces and his heartbeat is 141 bpm. And the name is...well that will remain a secret until he is born. Sorry, but we've gotta leave some sort of a surprise, right?!

Here are a couple recent pics...

Daddy & Mommy

20 Weeks Prego

Our Baby's 1st Outfit!

2008-10-15T22:23:00.010-04:00

Here is our little one's first outfit...a Notre Dame onesie! We visited our dear friends, the Bontragers, a couple weeks ago and they surprised us with this special gift. Matt & Tim went to a Notre Dame game and Sondra & I enjoyed our day together at home catching up and relaxing.

Thank you Tim & Sondra - we can't wait to see our little girl or guy in his/her first outfit! We love it!

Here's our hottie hubbys - us girls must have been camera shy since we forgot to get any pictures of the two of us...

Our 16 Week Doctor's Visit

2008-10-10T10:57:00.003-04:00

We had our 16 week checkup yesterday and everything is great! We heard the heartbeat for the first time - we had seen it before but had never been able to actually hear it with the doppler until yesterday. Pretty neat. I gained 7 lbs in 4 weeks! YIKES! My midwife said that that was great for me, so I guess that's okay. (She actually gave Matt a high five on that!) :) Matt keeps telling me, "we better have a chubby baby!" If it has anything to do with my appetite and weight gain, that won't be a problem! We have an official date for our ultrasound to find out the baby's gender - November 3rd! Can't wait!

Just Getting Started...

2008-10-06T21:42:00.000-04:00

I'm finally posting my first message! Well, as most of you know who will be reading this, Matt & I are expecting our first child in March. I can't think of a better way to share with our family & friends the important milestones of this amazing journey we have already begun than through blogging. I'm getting a bit of a late start, since I am already 16 weeks along, but I can catch you up on that as I go along. We can't believe we are one month away from being half way through. It has gone so fast already. I have been feeling so much better lately - more energy, no more nausea, and my appetite is less than it was believe it or not. I was incredibly famished for the first trimester and still am sometimes. But, I am feeling so much better now. I am trying to savor every moment of this pregnancy, since I hear so many friends tell me how quickly this precious time goes. I'm anxious to meet our little angel, but I also want to enjoy the moment.

Here are a couple pregnancy pictures for your enjoyment!

This was at 11 weeks...

This one is the most recent, taken this past Sunday, at 16 weeks...