5 Year Anniversary (5.20.11)

On May 20th, we celebrated 5 years of marriage!  We sent Lailey happily off to Grammy and Grandaddy's house and spent the weekend in Atlanta relaxing, eating amazing food, going to movies, and actually sleeping in.  I read a whole magazine from front to back.  It was quite the life.  You realize the things you took for granted before having kids.  What exactly did I do with all that time I once had?  I'm not sure I remember.  And I wouldn't change it for the world, but every once in a while it's nice to just have to take care of one person - yourself - for a day or two.  I forgot how easy it was to get ready in the morning!  Of course, by the time we got back we were dying to see our Lailey-Bug.

3rd course of our anniversary dinner at The Melting Pot.  Yum!

My new favorite place in Buckhead, Anis Cafe & Bistro

Saumon à la Poêle  (Sarah's meal)Pan Roasted Atlantic Salmon, Roquefort Risotto, Julienne Endive and Saba Vinegar

Filet of Beef “Au Poivre” (Davey's meal)
Lyonnaise Potatoes, sweet onions, and cognac scented Jus

I took Spanish in school, but I don't have to know French to know the food was amazing.  The salmon melted in my mouth.  Okay, now I'm hungry again.

Wow, looking and feeling very pregnant at 7 months!

It's really hard to believe that 5 years have passed since we said "I do."  We've had our share of ups and downs, as any marriage does, but I've never regretted the choice to spend the rest of my life with him. Who is this man I've been married to for 5 years? First of all, he's my best friend.  We were friends before we dated, and I'll always firmly believe that this is the strong foundation for our relationship.  I enjoy doing absolutely nothing at all as long as it's with him.

Engagement picture

He's my constant source of entertainment.  There's never a dull moment when you're married to Davey.  He cracks me up with his hilarious perspective on life, his not-so-common sense about things, his sense of direction (ha!), his ability to look right at an object and still not be able to find it, and his enthusiasm and curiosity about things.  He still hasn't lost his zeal about things he's interested in, and it's fun to be around someone like that.  Oh, and he's the worst liar ever (he only "lies" in a joking manner, of course).  He squints his eyes in a funny way and I can always tell.  It's quite funny.

He is my Mr. Fix-it.  I can ask him to help me with anything, and if he doesn't know how to do it he'll figure it out.  He's passionate about learning new things and he'll work to figure something out until he does.  Sometimes this can be frustrating when he doesn't know when to give something up (we joke about this now), but there's really something to be said about his perseverance and diligence.  

His newest endeavor?  Learning to cook.  I've taught him a few things, but his real teacher isYoutube.  Yes, my darling husband is learning to cook and prepare foods to help me out on busy days, and he's using his friend technology to help him out.  And you know what?  He's good at it!  Everything has turned out good if not great.  I remind him when he's too hard on himself that I have made many meals before him that didn't make it onto the table again.  

Honeymoon in Cancun, 2006

He is so thoughtful.  He finds ways to make me happy.  He learns to speak my love language as it has changed over the last 5 years.  He puts up with my bad qualities, and gently encourages me to become a better person.  He loves me no matter what.  He forgives me.  He goes out of his way to make my day, from the smallest little detail to big things like cleaning up the whole house and surprising me.  There is very little he doesn't do to keep our house running.  He cherishes family time and makes sure that there is enough of it.

He's creative, funny, talented, diligent, humble, and good-looking (I had to throw the last one in 'cause it's true!).  He follows his passions like becoming a certified fitness trainer.  Whatever he sets his mind to he'll accomplish.  He's incredibly thrifty and will do anything for a good bargain.  One of his prized possessions is his free Craigslist gas grill...which he drove 3 hours round trip for but didn't pay a dime.

NYC Trip 2008

He is an incredible Daddy.  The moment Lailey came into the world something clicked in Davey.  It was like he instinctively knew what being a Daddy was all about.  Not only did he quickly learn and master the basics (oh, those poopy diaper experiences!) but he also takes time to really be a father.  He read her her first book at days old.  He makes things fun in ways only he can.  He dances with her around the living room, body slams her on the bed (she LOVES it), swings her really high, lets her drive in his lap in our neighborhood, and cherishes her nightly request to "snuggle with Daddy."  And these are just a few recent favorites of hers.  The list goes on and on.

He loves Jesus and wants to know him more.  He is the spiritual leader of our family.  He demonstrates his love for God in any way from playing bass in front of thousands of people to working at our church and taking out the trash.  He has a servant's heart.  He knows that it doesn't really matter what you do so long as you're doing it for Jesus.

I'm so proud to be married to him, and I love him exactly the way he is.  Thank you, Davey, for being the most incredible husband and dad a girl could ever ask for.  I love you!  Happy Anniversary.

Lailey "Reads" Peter's Chair

I know there is probably a fine line between saying you're proud of your child and then plain old bragging, but I'm going to hope that I don't cross over too far with this one.  Seriously though, I'm impressed.  Lailey's memory astounds me.  It began months ago when we would read every night and she began finishing the phrases in a few books.  Then she would finish almost every phrase in a few books.  Now it's come to this. The video is almost 5 minutes long, but I had to post it.  And sorry about the shaky camera and blurriness.  She's kind of wiggly and I was trying to get in close so the words of the book could be seen.

Please enjoy Peter's Chair, by Ezra Jack Keats, as read recited by Lailey, age 2.

Warm Laundry, Swings, and Sprinklers

What do these three things have in common?  Well, right now they're 3 of Lailey's favorites.  She loves for us to pile warm laundry on her when it comes out of the dryer, so this day she just decided it was best to climb IN the laundry basket for the maximum coverage.  

"It's warm!"

maximum coverage

Thanks to some dear friends who gave us this swing, Lailey is one happy camper!  She absolutely loves swings, playgrounds, climbing, slides, and the like.  One evening last week Davey hung this swing in our backyard and she's been enjoying it ever since.  The higher we can push her and the faster we can spin her the better.  Do we have a daredevil on our hands?

"Higher!"

Lailey received this sprinkler from Grandpa Jim for her birthday and this week it was warm enough to try it out.  I think it's a hit!

I'm trying to smile, Mommy, but I keep getting wet!

Cousin Addy

After many months of excitement and comments from Lailey about "baby Addy in Julie's tummy," Lailey's little cousin, our niece Adalyn Faith, is here.  She's perfect and beautiful, and we are so excited to welcome her to the family.  And Davey and I are Uncle and Aunt for the first time!

Just hours old

Watching videos on Uncle Eli's computer at the hospital

Lailey meeting Addy for the first time

Cousins two years and one month apart exactly (4.7.09 and 5.7.11)

Taking her paci out - little stinker

Easter 2011

Trying on and modeling her new Easter dress made by Mommy

Last week we celebrated Easter in a different way than we usually do since Davey was playing at a church that Sunday.  Usually we're home for Easter.  Despite the deviation from the norm, we still had a good time and enjoyed Lailey's first Easter Egg Hunt.  We also rode on a boat on Lake Sinclair.  Last year's boat experience was, haha, not so delightful from Lailey's point of view.  She hated wearing her mandatory life jacket.  This year, she was okay with it (still not thrilled), she just didn't want to sit still for a moment.  We had to switch off holding onto her as she darted around the pontoon boat.  Unending energy, I tell ya.  

I'm saaaaaailing!

Driving the boat with Grandaddy

Getting ready to go down the steps to hunt eggs

Which of the 40 eggs should I go for first?

Back home, thoroughly enjoying her cookie sent to us from Aunt Amy since we couldn't be with them on Easter

Our own dyed eggs

Grandpa Jim's artwork

The finished product

Lailey's newest favorite song to perform is "The B-I-B-L-E!"  I just figured out why many of my best videos of her are while she's eating in the high chair: because it's the only time she will actually sit still.  Except when she's sleeping, but that doesn't make for very interesting videos.  She always seems to have food all over her for the videos, but hey, isn't that what being a toddler is all about?  By the way, at the end of the video, she is asking to "see it."  She loves to watch videos of herself on the camera or computer.

If You Give a Mom a Muffin...

(The following was posted by my friend on Facebook.  The original website is here.)

If you give a mom a muffin, she'll want a cup of coffee to go with it. She'll pour herself some. Her three-year-old will spill the coffee.  She'll wipe it up. Wiping the floor, she will find dirty socks. She'll remember she has to do laundry. When she puts the laundry in the  washer, she'll trip over boots and bump into the freezer. Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan supper. She will get out a pound of hamburger. She'll look for her cookbook. (101 Things To Make With A Pound Of Hamburger.) The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail. She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow. She will look for her checkbook. The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two-year-old. She'll smell something funny. She'll change the two-year-old. While she is changing the two-year-old the phone will ring. Her five-year-old will answer and hang up. She'll remember that she wants to phone a friend to come for coffee. Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup. She will pour herself some. And chances are, if she has a cup of coffee, her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.  

By Kathy Fictorie

based on "If you Give a Mouse a Cookie" by Laura Numeroff

This was too funny not to share.  Pretty much sums up my life, with a few minor changes = Minus the 3 and 5-yr-old, but add a part-time career.  Gotta love Mommyhood!

Happy Birthday Lailey!

On April 7th, our sweet baby girl turned 2.  Sometimes it seems as if no time has passed at all since we welcomed her into our lives, and other days we simply wonder what we did without her.  The amount of joy she brings us everyday is indescribable.  The "twos" have thus far proved to be terrific, not terrible.  Of course, I personally believe that is all about one's perspective, but either way, we're having a blast.  I read the best thing the other day from John Rosemond:

"Raising children is not rocket science. You simply take one part cool, calm, and collected, blend that in with one part confidence in the legitimacy of your authority, sprinkle with a sense of humor and a dash of ingenuity, and you’ve got it!"

Yum!

Cheese!

Lailey woke up in the morning in the happiest mood.  She snuggled in our bed for awhile, but then insisted, as she does every morning, "time ta eat!"  We celebrated with Birthday Waffles and strawberries and bananas.  Lailey enjoyed every bite and blowing out the 2 candles on her waffle.  In the evening we took her out to a hibachi restaurant since she loves fried rice.  She was not scared at all by the fire tricks of our chef, and kept asking "where'd da fire go?" after he was done.  She scarfed down all her rice and even tried a bite of sushi (cooked, of course).  She liked the sushi more last time we were there, but then again, her tastes as a toddler change periodically.  The best part of the evening for her, I'm sure, was the chocolate ice cream for dessert.  

Uh, what's that stuff again?

Daddy kisses

I think she enjoyed it

All smiles after a fun day

On Saturday we headed to a local park for her birthday party with family.  Her favorite thing is the playground, so it seemed fitting to have a party there.  It turned out to be a beautiful day and we had a great time.

Silly

Lailey and cousin Ansley

Sillier!

Aunt Amy and Uncle Tim

Eating her chocolate cupcake and telling me about something

Cupcake kisses

Opening presents

Girl on a mission

Swinging later that day with Uncle Tim (or Teeeeyimah, as Lailey says)

In other Lailey news, she's grown an inch since her last doctor appt. 5 months ago.  Most recent Lailey quote: [talking to herself] "I need to go potty.  No, I don't need to go right now.  I really really tired."