My little crawler...part 1

Okay...as promised...here is a little video of Ansley crawling. I must say though that this was about 2 weeks ago and her first day of crawling. I am also going to put up another video of her crawling a few days later just to show you how amazing the difference is. She is now starting to cruise which is so crazy to me. I feel like she will be walking someday very soon...but until then...I am going to try and enjoy her crawling and cruising. Love you all.

Our heads are spinning...

So...A LOT has happened since the last time that I posted something which is part of the reason that it has taken me so long to update the blog. Most of you already know but for those of you who don't...I must warn you that it will be a shocker. Without getting into too many details that would bore you anyway...Mike, Ansley, Baby Miller and I have moved back to Memphis. We are no longer in Orlando and it has been so crazy. In a matter of just weeks...we had movers at the house packing us up and then Ansley and I (and Baby Miller) were on a plane to Huntsville. We were there for a little while and then we were off to Memphis. Ansley did awesome on the flights to Huntsville and she was so good while we were at Grandma and Grandpa's. While we were visiting, poor Mike was busy packing us up, moving us, and unpacking us. He has been awesome about everything. Since leaving Orlando...Ansley has really had some major developments. As soon as we arrived in Huntsville, she started crawling and was cutting 2 teeth. I know that everyone says that it is good when they cut several teeth at one time but I can't say that I agree. I think it has been twice as painful for her but I don't know. Her 2 bottom teeth started to come in and I think her 2 top teeth are starting to come in now. Ansley had started to kind of crawl in Orlando but is now really crawling. I will put up a video of her crawling for the first time and then not even a week later...the difference is amazing. She is pulling up on everything and trying to walk on her own. She has started to stand by herself for short amounts of time, she's waving...just everything. I just know that she will be walking soon. Baby Miller is doing good too. We had another ultrasound and he is defintely all boy. In the mist of all of confusion, I came down with a stomach bug the very day we were moving into the new house in Arlington and it was miserable. I am doing much better now though. I have several pics of Ansley for your viewing pleasure...but I will defintely put up some videos of her as well. Now that we are back in a house and settled...somewhat...for now...I will make sure I stay on top of keeping up with the blog.

A day at the beach with Mommy and Daddy


Playing peek-a-boo with Daddy


She's even cute from "behind"


Standing up like a big girl


"Wait a minute...I am happy about being a big sis but nobody told me I had to share my toys...can I have a mintue to think about this?"


"I know...not sure where these blonde locks come from either"


"I feel silly but Mommy says I look super cute so"...


"I love these outdoors"


"Cheeeeeeeeeese"


Fun in the sun


Chillin with some friends at the park


She was the cutest thing on the beach...hands down

9 month update

So we went to the doctor the other day for Ansley's 9 month check up. She was so good...as usual...and the doctor said she looked "terrific". She had to get a shot (and she did cry for about 10 seconds) and had to get her finger pricked (but didn't even flinch). She weighed 17 pounds and was 29 1/4 inches long. She was 25th percentile in weight and 95th in height...she is growing so fast. It is so amazing to think of how much she has grown in her short 9 months. She has been saying "dada" for a few months now but it starting to say "mama". She really only says it when she is tired or not feeling good but hey...at least she is saying it. She doesn't say it as much or as good as she does "dada" but it won't be too long. She is pulling up so good and can stand on her own for seconds at a time. She is so eager to walk and really wants to take off but doesn't quite understand that she can't yet. I think that it won't be long.

It's even steven now...

Well, this is a little late but we found out what we are having and...it's a boy! So it's going to be even around here...2 girls and 2 boys. We found out last Thursday and I have been meaning to let everyone know but I apologize for the delay. We were a little shocked because we both really thought it was going to be a girl but we are excited about a boy. The ultra sound tech asked me if we wanted to find out and I told her yes but to not tell me because I wanted to see if I could guess. As soon as she put the instrument on my tummy and moved it across...I saw that it was a boy...she didn't have to say a thing. We have been thinking about names but we are having a hard time coming up with some. If anyone has any good suggestions...we are all ears. To be continued...

Hello Easter bunny!

Ansley giving me some love for my Easter happy

She has become quite the little walker

Here she is with all of her Easter treats

You gotta love this face

Here she is with her favorite bunny

Mommy...let go...I want to walk all by myself

She loves this little egg

With a serious face, she asked me where the Easter bunny went


Happy belated Easter! Well, the Easter bunny came to visit Ansley and she was very excited. We decided to go to one of the earlier church services and it was the first time (at least since we have moved to Orlando) I have left Ansley. Mike and I took her to the nursery and we went to the service. I was a little nervous because I have never left her with strangers, although she has always been very friendly to strangers, but she did great. We came home and gave her a few goodies that the Easter bunny brought. She also received some things from some family and friends and she wanted to say thank you to her Nanny and Pappy, Aunt Lyn, Uncle Jason & cousin Ody, her best friends Julia and Maggie and her little friend, Franklin, from gymboree class...all which she loved. Daddy also got her a little something special and she just loved it. Anyway, we played and had a really good day. We missed all of our family and friends and hope that they had a wonderful Easter as well.

What's up doc?

Well, Ansley has her 9 month check up next week but we had to make a little visit to the doctor's office today. These past few days have not been Ansley's favorite. She got a little runny nose which turned into a bad runny nose. She was not able to sleep very well from her nose running and having stuff drain into her throat (which made her throw up a few times). She also had a fever 2 days and it was just so much fun. She really was pretty good considering all that she had going on. When we took her to the doctor we found out that apparently I had rubbed her nose too hard too much and she got a little infection. The doctor did tell me that she is not close to cutting teeth yet so I guess I was completely wrong about that. Anyway, I will let you know how her appointment goes next week. We do find out on Thursday what the sex is of our little baby growing in my tummy...so I can't wait for that. I will try and take some updated pics since Ansley is starting to feel better and post them.

Our day at the park

We took Ansley to our neighborhood park, sadly, for the very first time. I am not sure why we haven't been there before but she loved it. She LOVES to be outside and we love making her happy.

Here she is on the tire swing

She is thinking...thinking...

...but stops because she has cracked herself up

Stopping to catch some rays

Beep beep! Daddy, why aren't we moving?

Way up high on the big girl slide

Ansley and Daddy sliding down the slide

Grrrr...nah, that's not scaring this chick

Check out blondie

Ansley and Daddy on the teeter totter

This takes her back to the old days when she loved her baby swing

Daddy laying upside down to take a pic...

And then right side up...just still laying down

She needs to quit her day job

Ansley is so good at making us laugh. She really cracks me up. You all know that she loves her walker and I put a little video up of her in it last week. I did promise, however, to put up another video to show her progress... so here it is. She makes me laugh when I watch her because her little legs are going a mile a minute. I hope she brings a smile to your faces too.

Walking on sunshine...

There's no stopping Ansley now...she loves her walker and is really getting the hang of it. I filmed this little video on her second day of being in the walker so she was still a little rusty but now she is really walking (almost running) well. I will have to take another video of her to show how much better she is just a few days later. Mike and I watch her and just crack up because she is so excited to be on the move and her little legs are going a million miles a minute. She really is so funny and just cracks us up.

You'd be amazed...

...at what we can see from our backyard. So the other night Mike told me that the shuttle launch was about to happen and he wanted to go outside to watch. I, to be completely honest, was not near as excited as he was about the launch and was perfectly content relaxing on the couch reading my book. Instead, being the good wife that I am, I did get up and go outside to watch the launch with him and also snapped a few pictures. I realize that these are not the best pics but I did the best that I could. I didn't have the camera with me when I first walked outside and had to run back in to grab the camera. Anyway, here was the best that I could do...

The new pad in progress

The front of the house



The back of the house



So, these are pictures from about 1 week ago of the new house. They are making good progress and we are thinking that they will be done way before the baby gets here... thank goodness. We try to drive by the house weekly and check on the status. Here are some photos and will put more up as time goes by.

In just 4 short months...

...Ansley will turn 1 and it's crazy! I can hardly believe that she is 8 months old already. What might be even crazier is that I am almost 4 months pregnant...I'm not sure which one is harder to believe. Anyway, she is doing great and just learning so much every single day. She is starting to try and pull herself up and loves to be standing. She has a toy table that she will pull up on and stand up against while she is playing with it. I can't believe how good she is at that. We go for her 9 month check up here in a few weeks and I am interested to see how much she has grown because I feel like she is getting so tall. She also has very very light hair...when I say light I mean blonde and this is SO strange since Mike and I have very very dark hair. I realize that it will get darker but it just seems so funny right now. Nobody says it but I feel like they think that she is not ours since she looks so different...but she is and we are so so lucky!

One of her favorite things...

...is to go to gymboree class. We have moved up to the 2nd level class and Ansley has such a good time there. We are doing a lot more activities now and trying to get the babies to crawl and move around. This past week we went to class and Nanny took a few videos of Ansley in action. I am going to put some of them up to give you an idea of the kinds of things we do.

*Don't forget to mute the music* "

Spin Class"...ha ha


"Mommy...I don't want this ride to end"


Yipee!


This teeter totter is kind of fun


Bubbles, bubbles...


...and more bubbles


Don't know what Mom is doing to me...but I like it

Sittin' pretty

Here is a little more video of Ansley sitting up like a big girl. I swear she is going to be walking before I know it. She loves to be sitting or standing these days. Gone are the days where she wants to be laying down. She loves for me to hold her hands and let her walk...well let her take little steps around the house. She really is something else and full of energy...I have a feeling I am going to have my hands full when she is walking around...can't wait!

*don't forget to mute the music*

Time flies when you are having fun

For Christmas this year...Mike surprised me and got me a trip to New York with my girlfriends. We planned it and decided to go this past weekend. It was so much fun and it was just nice to get away for a little bit and have some good quality girl time. Although it was fun...I defintely missed Ansley and Mike. Once we decided on when to go, I called Nanny and asked if she would come down to spend time with Mike and help out with Ansley. She came in on Monday and I left on Thursday. I took my camera with me but did not take even one picture. I know...I was so mad at myself and I could not believe that I didn't take any. Anyway, NYC was fun and we did a lot of shopping and walking around. We had a really great time but I really did miss Ansley a lot. I was a little upset when I left and was so excited to see her when I got back. She was a perfect angel while I was gone. She didn't cry or get upset that I was not there which I was really happy about...although I have to admit...I was hoping that she had missed me even a little. Anyway, they had so much fun while I was gone and I was glad that they were able to spend time together. I was able to get a little video of a trick/game that Nanny taught Ansley and some other cute photos.