Me and Little "D"

Pops Visit!!

2010-11-25T18:35:00.000-08:00

Here are some fun pics from Pop's visit this past September/October! We love Pop so much and can't wait for him to come home!!!

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Psalm 105:1

Josephine!!

2010-11-25T18:22:00.000-08:00

So........ This is major blogging catch up time. Here are some sweet times spent with Cleveland/Childress family in beautiful Josephine, AL. What a dear family to me and Daphney! Love me some Cleveland's!!!

Satisfied

2010-08-31T08:13:00.000-07:00

All my lifelong I had panted
For a drink from some cool spring.
That I hoped would quench the burning
Of the thirst I felt within.

Chorus:
Hallelujah He has found me.
The One my soul so long has craved
Jesus satisfies my longings.
Thro' His blood I now am saved.

Feeding on the filth around me
Till my strength was almost gone.
Longed my soul for something better
Only still to hunger on.

Poor I was and sought for riches
Something that would satisfy.
But the dust I gathered 'round me
Only mocked my soul's sad cry.

Well of water ever springing
Bread of life so rich and free.
Untold wealth that never faileth
My Redeemer is to me.

-Clara Teare Williams

SCHOOL!!!

2010-08-27T17:50:00.001-07:00

Last week I took Daphney to her first day at Covenant Preschool! What a sweet time! I felt a bit old getting her ready, eating breakfast, putting a mega bow in her thin baby hair, sitting in carpool line, and then watching her climb the steps without me. She absolutely loves going. She comes home talking about her friends and anticipates going the next day! Before I know it I will be sending her off to real school. O, how I love her!

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Hebrews 10:23

Two Peas in a Pod

2010-08-14T19:14:00.000-07:00

As usual...... what a busy week! The past few days Daphney and I enjoyed some quality time together. Two separate nights we strolled and shopped at the Renaissance until closing time. We had a dinner date at 5 Guys that was wild. Daphney drank a whole coke and then proceeded to entertain the wait staff and customers with her awesome dance moves. Thursday we got to meet our teachers, classmates, and parents at Covenant preschool. We followed up the meet and greet with some swimming at the Haber's. Yesterday mommy bought a road bike.... with hopes of doing some triathlons in the near future. Finally, tonight we enjoyed fun with friends at Bright Lights Belhaven Nights! Daphney got a tattoo, decorated cookies, danced to some live music, and met lots of new friends! The weather was awesome and time with friends was even better!

"You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done." -Psalm 92:4

A Little C.S. Lewis

2010-08-09T05:37:00.000-07:00

“If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desire not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, we are like ignorant children who want to continue making mud pies in a slum because we cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a vacation at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

Fun with Greer & Covenant Children

2010-08-08T18:05:00.000-07:00

We were blessed to have a sweet friend come play with us on Saturday! Greer and Daphney had such a wonderful time! We can't wait for our next play date! Today we had some fun with all the kids at Covenant. Nothing like water slides and watermelon to finish off the weekend!!

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Visits with Dovie, Mimi, and Memother!!!

2010-08-07T09:12:00.001-07:00

Daphney and I have been keeping I-20 hot with lots of visits to grandparents. First we enjoyed time with Dovie and Mimi in Monroe, then we traveled to Jasper to spend time with Papa and Memother. We are so blessed to have such wonderful families!

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 1 Peter 5:6

Zoo Fun

2010-07-24T14:38:00.001-07:00

This weekend we had a special treat.... mom, Jonathan, and Ashely came to visit! We enjoyed a morning at the zoo and then some good times at Sal & Mookie's! Daphney had such a blast!

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. --John 16:33

A Little Truth

2010-07-23T21:02:00.001-07:00

“People do not drift toward holiness...We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.”

-D.A. Carson

Jesus I am Resting Resting

2010-07-19T19:32:00.000-07:00

Beautiful words that I want to rest in daily.

Jesus I am resting, resting
In the Joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For by Thy transforming power
Thou hast made me whole.

Chorus:

Jesus, I am resting, resting
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.

O how great Thy loving kindness.
Vaster, broader than the sea!
O how marvellous Thy goodness,
Lavished all on me!
Yes, I rest in Thee, Beloved,
Know Thy certainty of promise,
And have made it mine.

Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,
Satisfies my heart;
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings;
Thine is love indeed!

Ever lift Thy face upon me,
As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting 'neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth's dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father's glory,
Sunshine of my Father's face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting;
Fill me with Thy grace.

Splash Park and Fun Art!

2010-07-15T18:57:00.000-07:00

This week I stayed super busy with work :(, but did managed to squeeze a bit of fun into my crazy schedule. The previous week Daphney had strep throat, so out of pity I had to get her a new prize for all her suffering. We packed up and drove through McDonald's for a nutritious Happy Meal, then headed to Toys-R-Us, both of which were firsts for Daphney. After strolling the isles we left with an art easel, finger paints, chalk, markers (big mistake), and easel paper! Daphney has been crazy about coloring for the longest so I thought we should expand on her interest a bit! She, of course, loves it. It is definitely an activity that needs MUCH supervision!

Midweek we packed and headed for the slash park with Mrs. Maggie, Anna, and Charles Walker. Tons of fun! We sure love the Waddell's!

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved." -Helen Keller

Independence Day

2010-07-04T19:32:00.000-07:00

Today Daphney and I celebrated our countries declaration of independence with some serious fun. We enjoyed morning worship at church, naps, baked my 3rd pound cake of the week, played dress-up as the statue of liberty, and topped the day off with some back yard fun at the Robertson's.

Our special way of honoring Pop as he serves in Afghanistan was to do a little role playing as Lady Liberty. Daphney thought she was something in her pillowcase and paper hat with torch and bible in hand. Later in the evening we went to Rob and Sara's to celebrate kid style with some inflatable pool action, homemade ice cream, and fresh blueberry pie. We had so much fun. We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends!

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32

Some great words for life

2010-07-03T10:20:00.000-07:00

"Joy is love exalted; peace is love in repose; patience is love enduring; gentleness is love in society; goodness is love in action; faith is love on the battlefield; meekness is love in school; and self-control is love in training."
D.L. Moody

Watermelon Classic 5K

2010-07-03T09:57:00.000-07:00

It was race day again for mother and daughter! As always, Mississippi summer heat was intense! I finished 3.1 miles in 23 minutes placing 2nd in my age group!! This was such a fun morning for both of us. There were tons of people, over 1600 participants, and exciting activities like a moonwalk, Tot-Trot, and watermelon eating contest! We did all three! The funniest was the watermelon eating contest... We were just going to observe all the other kids when Daphney took it upon herself to pull up a chair! She picked a seat by a really large girl who looked a bit serious about winning.... Daphney just took her one bite then cheered for the others! Such a sweetie.

21 Months

2010-07-02T19:51:00.001-07:00

Today I celebrate 21 months of vibrant living with the sweetest girl I know! God is good and blesses us beyond what we can ever imagine! I love you sweet Daphney!

Friends

2010-06-25T16:05:00.000-07:00

Below is an excerpt from a daily devotional, My Utmost for His Highest. A sweet cousin forwarded this to me and it really gave me a boost.

. . . what shall I say? ’Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. ’Father, glorify Your name’ —John 12:27-28

As a saint of God, my attitude toward sorrow and difficulty should not be to ask that they be prevented, but to ask that God protect me so that I may remain what He created me to be, in spite of all my fires of sorrow. Our Lord received Himself, accepting His position and realizing His purpose, in the midst of the fire of sorrow. He was saved not from the hour, but out of the hour.

We say that there ought to be no sorrow, but there is sorrow, and we have to accept and receive ourselves in its fires. If we try to evade sorrow, refusing to deal with it, we are foolish. Sorrow is one of the biggest facts in life, and there is no use in saying it should not be. Sin, sorrow, and suffering are, and it is not for us to say that God has made a mistake in allowing them.

Sorrow removes a great deal of a person’s shallowness, but it does not always make that person better. Suffering either gives me to myself or it destroys me. You cannot find or receive yourself through success, because you lose your head over pride. And you cannot receive yourself through the monotony of your daily life, because you give in to complaining. The only way to find yourself is in the fires of sorrow. Why it should be this way is immaterial. The fact is that it is true in the Scriptures and in human experience. You can always recognize who has been through the fires of sorrow and received himself, and you know that you can go to him in your moment of trouble and find that he has plenty of time for you. But if a person has not been through the fires of sorrow, he is apt to be contemptuous, having no respect or time for you, only turning you away. If you will receive yourself in the fires of sorrow, God will make you nourishment for other people.

Sweet Memories

2010-06-25T04:55:00.000-07:00

For those who don't know, I lost all pictures of Daphney (birth to 16 months) when my hard drive crashed this past winter. So I don't have too many picture memories to look back on. I ran across these few moments in time that were on an old camera memory card. She is growing up so fast. These sweet times feel like they were just days ago.

Psalm 73

2010-06-24T05:39:00.001-07:00

How easy it is to feel defeated when I see my efforts to do "right" not being "rewarded" and I see the "prosperity" of those who aren't doing "right". Suffering is bad and since God is good He cannot allow affliction to touch the life of the righteous, RIGHT ???? Not so much..... “Good” somehow gets inseparably intertwined with material prosperity and physical well-being. But if I truly enter into worship I see that the only ultimate good is knowing God. If knowing God is the highest good in this life and in eternity, then I must conclude that whatever draws us away from Him is evil and whatever draws us to Him is good. With this realization my initial thinking is reversed, the suffering I shun is actually a blessing, while the success I seek is really a curse.

Sadly my mentality at times has been bent to think that God’s blessings always come in the form of financial success, material abundance, and physical well-being. We are led to believe that the righteous can claim such things as their rightful possessions. We are also told that when we experience financial setbacks or physical illness it is because we lack the faith to possess what is ours in Christ.

Anyone who wishes to think that God’s people have the right to expect a trouble-free life of ease and prosperity apparently read the Scriptures superficially and have an inadequate grasp of the process God uses to conform us to the image of His Son. This process usually involves suffering.

Oh how I want my hope and trust to be in the promises of God and to being willing to look beyond the grave for its fulfillment. I don't want worldliness to devastate my efforts to witness. I don't want to get caught up in desiring what the wicked have and loose sight of wanting them to have what I have, hope and freedom in Christ. Only when I view life in light of eternity can I be a fervent witness. Their prosperity is fleeting and their destruction is sure. They may have some passing pleasures, but they do not have the blessing of knowing God and having intimate fellowship with Him.

I want to live with a mentality for the Kingdom. God is good and faithful. Life on earth is fleeting. I want to praise God for all that He is and for all that He does, even when He brings suffering into my life. I want to live a life of worship so that my perspective can continually be renewed and I can become strengthened to live in a world of suffering, praising God, obeying His Word, and looking ahead to the fulfillment of all His promises.

1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. 3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. 5 They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. 6 Therefore prideis their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. 7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. 8 They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. 9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. 10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. 11 They say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?" 12 This is what the wicked are like-- always carefree, they increase in wealth. 13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. 14 All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning. 15 If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have betrayed your children. 16 When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me 17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. 18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. 19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! 20 As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O LORD, you will despise them as fantasies. 21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, 22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. 23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. 28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

Green Thumb

2010-06-23T19:59:00.000-07:00

This past spring I, with the help of my dad, ripped out the existing diseased landscape and replanted everything. Here is my sweet Daphney helping keep my investment alive.

Half Marathon!

2010-06-12T12:05:00.001-07:00

This morning I completed my first half-marathon! I was just aiming to finish the race but ended up doing really well, especially considering it was my first and I did NO training!! I placed 4th in my age group and 16th in overall female. It was a very gratifying and HOT run! Daphney and mom were there to cheer me on at the finish. I have really come to love running and can't wait for my next race! I liken running to my life as a Christian. The road before me sometimes seems overwhelming, but when I hope in the Lord I am more than a conqueror through His strength.

"But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

Isaiah 40:31

Free Fun

2010-06-05T16:45:00.000-07:00

Today we enjoyed some shopping, a late lunch at Mint, and ended the evening with with water fountains. This was a first for Daphney and she had a blast!! Love some good free fun!

“O LORD, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.” Isaiah 25:1

VBS!!!

2010-06-04T17:57:00.001-07:00

This week we have been crazy busy with vacation Bible school every morning! We wrapped up the week tonight with some water side fun! Daphney, as always, charges the blowups with no fear. She is my little dare devil!

For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; in the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.

Psalm 27:5

8K On the Parkway

2010-05-29T17:06:00.000-07:00

This morning I ran an 8K. Mom and Daphney were there waiting on me at the finish! I amazed myself with some serious speed. I got 3rd place for my age group! New addicting hobby maybe???

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all thing?

Roman 8:32

Seaside

2010-05-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

Here are a millions pictures from Daphney's beach trip!

Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:16

High heels, tutus, and baseball caps

2010-05-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

Some of the things Daphney picked out to dress up with after dinner :)

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

Shopping Cart and Bumble Bee Costume

2010-05-02T13:06:00.000-07:00

Just some of the latest fun going on at our house!

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! Philippians 3:8-11

Visit to the park.....with daddy!

2010-04-18T10:18:00.000-07:00

Daphney and I enjoyed a Saturday with Donald at home. We had such a great time and I know Donald needed the day to rest. We went to the park, met some sweet friends for lunch, then finished the day with a little shopping! We look forward to the day when we get to relax with him more often. Only six weeks left of this second year!

"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Psalm 73:25-26

Zoo Visit

2010-04-12T16:51:00.000-07:00

Dovie and Pop took Daphney and I for our first visit to the Jackson Zoo! What fun! Daphney had a ball seeing all the animals we read about in person. We have had a wonderful time during their visit! They leave for home tomorrow then Pop heads back to Afghanistan Friday. We will miss him and will be counting down the days until next time!

Easter and such

2010-04-08T19:23:00.000-07:00

Life is flying by here in Jackson! We have been staying busy busy as spring as sprung at the Baker house! With the changing of seasons Daphney has discovered a love for being outside. This has given me the motivation to get out in the yard and get my hands dirty too! I am looking forward to much summer fun! Here are some of our latest pics from Easter, visit to the farm and at our local park!

Dental Hygiene

2010-02-15T16:53:00.000-08:00

I never really have thought much about brushing Daphney's teeth (10 that I know of) until I started getting a whiff of her breath. Not too terrible, but definitely enough to get my attention. Honestly I have no clue what the recommendations are for brushing a babies teeth. Either way, we are brushing our teeth now! She loved it, even wanted to brush mine and Jackson's!

Eating Utensils

2010-02-10T07:42:00.000-08:00

This morning I decided to see what Daphney would do with a fork. To my surprise she handled the new challenge quite well. Using both left and right hands she was able to eat her entire breakfast with the fork!

Who Dat

2010-02-09T16:57:00.000-08:00

Daphney and I partied for the Super Bowl with sweet Lillie and her parents. Here she is pre-game in her Saints gear!

Rainy Day

2010-02-04T15:05:00.000-08:00

Well, it's a rainy day here in Jackson so no better time to post some new pics! Daphney gets more personality with each passing day! I am relishing every moment of this sweet little girls life!

Daphney continues to LOVE reading, a passion that definitely doesn't come from her mother. But I am so happy she loves it! Also, she has figured out how to throw fits. When I put her down for naps and at bedtime she lets it rip. From downstairs I can hear screams and an occasional kick on the wall! Hopefully this drama will pass. Here are some pics of her playing 'ballerina' and a few in her Valentines Day outfit, specially for daddy! Thanks Kendy for the inspiration! Until next time!!

Charleston

2010-01-15T18:39:00.001-08:00

Donald and I were able to get away for 5 days to Charleston, SC.... without Daphney! We stayed at the Charleston Place, club level.... so luxurious! We mostly just relaxed and enjoyed some of Charleston's finest cuisine. The rest was much needed. Other than sleeping and eating we did do some shopping on King and site seeing. I loved being able to have Donald all to myself.... until next time!

New Years and Lemsky Christmas!

2010-01-01T14:22:00.000-08:00

Christmas round two happened yesterday for my side of the family. My mom, grandmother, Jonathan, and Ashley came to Jackson. Jonathan brought fire works, but the fun didn't last long. Daphney, who I thought I had primed to be fearless and tough, was so terrified. Fun while it lasted though. We had a yummy dinner and then opened presents. Love spending time with sweet family!

Christmas morning and a surprise visit to Jasper!

2010-01-01T13:53:00.000-08:00

Daphney and I kicked off Christmas morning with just the two of us. Poor Donald was post call and arrived home late Christmas morning. As soon as I finished preparing Christmas lunch, (yes a whole turkey, dressing, sweet potato casserole, apple pie ect. just for two!) we opened presents. It was so special to have time with just the three of us. I look forward to many more years of making and enjoying holiday traditions that are just are own.

After all the fun I packed everyone up and set out for Jasper. All of Donald's siblings and their children were at his parents house, which never happens. It was dinner time and everyone was in the kitchen when we walked in the door. Such a surprise. Christmas was truly a special time for our family this year!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

2009-12-05T06:14:00.000-08:00

We woke up this morning to snow on the ground and most importantly this is Daphney's first time seeing it! Too cute. She was so excited to see all the white and feel the cold stuff on the ground!

Thanksgiving

2009-12-04T18:31:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was spent at the Baker's in sweet home Alabama. There was a fun houseful. Can't beat time spent with family!

Tis the season

2009-11-14T10:06:00.000-08:00

Yes, that's right... the Baker house is officially ready for the holiday season! The tree is up, stockings are hung, and we have a 5 foot tall Santa sitting under the tree! If it were socially acceptable I might leave this stuff up year round... just makes me happy. Daphney loves all the new Christmas decor. Especially her life size Santa that grandmother b sent!

Our count down calendar to Christmas day!

Vacation back home, Baker Farm, and Halloween

2009-11-05T06:05:00.000-08:00

New Kicks

2009-10-14T19:49:00.000-07:00

Daphney and I went shopping today for her first pair of shoes! We came home with 3 pairs. She looks like such a big girl.

Birthday Bunny

2009-10-10T19:10:00.001-07:00

Grandmother and Grandaddy Baker sent Daphney this fun bunny chair for her birthday. It is a perfect spot for her to 'read' her books! Too cute!

More Fall Fun

2009-10-05T12:04:00.001-07:00

Just some pre-birthday party fun with Pop and grandmother

Birthday Part II

2009-10-04T20:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Baby

2009-10-03T16:46:00.000-07:00

One year ago yesterday our sweet Daphney made her grand entrance! What a blessing she has been. Today we celebrated with family and friends in Jasper. She had a wonderful first birthday party, happy all day long. Will post more pics when I get home to my computer, her are a few for now!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

2009-09-22T20:17:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to Donald! No fun pics of this year's birthday... I had to work late, so no party. He did have a cake and some deflated balloons waiting on him after work. Here are some pics from last year. Jackson even got dressed up to welcome him home!!

Birthdays and Friends

2009-09-13T17:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend Daphney got to visit with lots of friends... The fun began Saturday with Ella's birthday party. Daphney and Lillie dominated this event helping themselves to all of Ella's new toys. We love playing with Lillie... she's fun and almost as wild as Daphney:)

This afternoon we enjoyed some Sunday football with the Watsons. They brought sweet baby Greer and their dog Webster. There was much excitement at the Baker house. Jackson acted like a 'boy dog' for 2 1/2 hours nonstop. Our apologies to the Watson family and Webster:)

The Birthday Girl

Poolside

2009-09-03T19:05:00.001-07:00

Fish Face

2009-08-31T16:54:00.000-07:00

Grandmother, Pop, and Parties

2009-08-30T13:42:00.000-07:00

Daphney had a fun weekend filled with birthday parties and grandparents. First, my mom and dad came to visit and as always, so great to see them. Daphney and Jackson got showered with attention all weekend. Jackson of course was depressed to see them go.

Daphney also got to attend her first birthday party Saturday! Her friend Lillie turned one and Daphney dropped by to help her celebrate! Daphney loves crowds of people so parties are her kind of fun!

Daphney's beach ball... Jackson's latest victim

Check out these extremely long legs...

Teething on pine cones

Lillie, the 'Birthday Girl' !!

Swing time

2009-08-25T17:52:00.000-07:00

Today Daphney and I did not do a single productive thing. It was great. I did a yoga video and walked in the morning, the rest of the day was spent piddling. We went to Wal-Mart, Target, and Babies-R-Us to cashed in on all the summer clearance toys. I bought 6 inflatable pools all for $5 and $10. I know, sounds excessive, but those things have a pretty short lifespan. We also got some beach balls, bubble blowing 'things', and lastly.... A SWING!

After buying $70 worth of metal chain for my $13 swing, I spent the afternoon trying to hoist the 19ft long chains over a tree branch only to acquire several cuts on my legs and about 100 mosquito bites. When Donald got home he was able to complete my 'swing hanging'. Daphney got in a quick evening swing ride before the mosquitoes chanced us (i.e. ME) inside. She had an absolute blast, showing off her trade mark ear to ear grin!

Visit with Katy

2009-08-23T11:18:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday a dear sweet friend flew in from Tampa to visit me and Daphney. I have been looking forward to Katy's visit for weeks and we had the most wonderful time. We went on daily morning walks, spent an afternoon at the spa, did tons of shopping, watched movies, and stuffed ourselves with good food! Spending time with such dear friends is the best!.. I just wish we could do it more often.

Daphney loved meeting her auntie Katy... and of course Jackson loved the company too. He even got to sleep in the bed with our guest despite my objection:).

Update on Daphney: still saying/repeating lots of words. A new trick is to point out 'toes'. Also, two new teeth have appeared to make a total of four!

Street Festival Fun

2009-08-16T15:43:00.000-07:00

Donald, Daphney and I went out last night to 'Bright Lights, Belhaven Nights'. We strolled the streets enjoying live music, arts/crafts, and food. Daphney liked the jazz best, so much that she showed off some of her dance moves. She was a great trooper staying up and active until past 9:00.

Daphney continues to keep us entertained with all sorts of new 'tricks'. New words are nose and mouth. She can point out both on her face or someone else's face. She also has started standing unassisted, but no attempts to walk solo just yet!

I have to brag

2009-08-08T19:24:00.000-07:00

I have to brag a bit on my sweet husband... I came home today from work to find the table set with my good china/crystal/silver, candles lit and the following spread: freshly brewed sweet tea, salad topped with strawberries, blue berries, feta, and pecans, asparagus, parmesan stuffed tomatoes, steak, cake from Julep, and, freshly brewed creme brulee coffee. Such a surprise.

I have a wonderful husband.

Vacation

2009-08-03T16:17:00.000-07:00

Donald got a whole 9 nine days off from the U so we packed up and hit the road to visit the fam. The trip was as follows: Jackson to Oak Grove to Jasper, to Louisville, to Jasper, to Oak Grove then home. Needless to say I came back a bit tired from all the traveling. Well worth it to spend time with all of our favorite people! Most of our week was spent in Louisville, KY with Donald's mom's side of the family. Daphney traveled exceptionally well. She did return home with a new found love for screaming. Hopefully a behavior that will be short lived.

Daphney was 10 months old on the 2nd. She is standing all the time and taking small steps. Life with this sweet girl is getting busier by the day!

One of the many new toys from grandmother!

A little bit of skinny dipping... Daphney not Donald :)

Family Reunion

2009-07-13T12:48:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Daphney and I flew into Dallas, TX for a family reunion (mom's side). The plane ride was a breeze, she just played and talked with all the people sitting around us. The entire weekend flew by. We were only there about 48 hours but had a great time with family at the ranch!

July 4th

2009-07-04T12:08:00.000-07:00

My dad drove in last night for a quick visit. Short but sweet. We exercised this morning for over an hour and then stuffed ourselves with ribs and steak. Poor Don is post call, so no July 4th festivities for him. Dad made sure to adorn the front yard with some red, white, and blue. In the midst of our BBQing and fireworks I hope that everyone reflects on the wonderful liberties we have as Americans. Give thanks for our freedom and embrace the fundamental truths that have established this privilege!

Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die. ~Dwight D. Eisenhower

It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you. ~Dick Cheney

9 months

2009-07-02T14:50:00.000-07:00

Today Daphney is 9 months old! We are staying busy, busy trying to keep up with her. She is crawling ALL OVER the house. We have not attempted climbing stairs yet, but I am sure she would be up for the challenge. She stands all the time, but is not too interested in walking, she would rather do her light speed crawl. Her vocabulary consists of: bye, bye, hey, puppy, jackson, da,da, ma, ma, and baby. Bye bye and hey are accompanied with a wave. Too cute. She is growing and learning so fast. Next week we will be flying to Dallas, I am anxious to see how the first airplane ride goes. We will keep our posted! She has also discoverd all the fun that opening drawers can be. Below is a pic of her 'organizing' my tupperware.

Little Green Pool

2009-06-09T17:40:00.000-07:00

Today Daphney and I went to Wal-Mart and got a little green inflatable pool. It wasn't too long ago that I would called this type of yard ornament tacky. Not the case anymore. Lime green pool=FUN. Jackson wasn't too sure about it at first, but as with most things he warms up to the idea quickly. I see us spending a lot of time this summer "at the pool".

8 months

2009-06-07T12:14:00.001-07:00

Lots-a-fun happening at the Baker house. Daphney hit the 8 month mark this past week. Time is flying, soon we will be walking and talking. Donald's mom and brother came for a visit this weekend. With babysitters in town, Don and I were able to get dressed up and go out to the ortho department's end of the year dinner. Always fun to hang out with adults!

Below I have pics of Daphney modeling the dress that mom and I started back in February (very bottom yellow polkadot). Yes, it took three months to complete and the only reason we have a finished product is because I sent it home with my mother. My dreams of becoming a master in the art of sewing have dwindled as I realized I really don't have the time. We'll just put sewing on the back burner for now and just bask in the glory of our first handmade dress!

Grandmother, Grandaddy, and our new best friend

2009-05-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

We were happy to have Donald's mom and dad here this weekend! They were very sweet to come and to endure all the construction going on at our house. As always so much fun spending time together.

Over the weekend Daphney discovered her new best friend. Donna showed her one of the baby dolls in her nursery and she LOVED it. She just talk to her like they were long lost friends. Hilarious. This morning I awoke to her babbling in her room. I didn't go up to get her out for about 20 minutes, but when I did I found her sitting up holding her baby just talking away. So cute.

Busybody

2009-05-11T18:17:00.000-07:00

It has been over a week since I last posted and there is much to tell. Daphney has morphed into a totally different baby stage. She is sitting up on her own, doing a modified form of crawling (mostly scooting and rolling), and pulling up!!! She WILL NOT sit still! The later is a little scary, I turned away and came back to find her standing in her crib with a HUGE grin. I think that soon it will be hard work to keep up with her.

I had a wonderful first Mother's Day weekend. Daphney and I spent some time at my mom and dad's house. Here is a little picture overload of all the fun we had!

Eye Doctor

2009-05-01T20:51:00.000-07:00

Daphney and I made a visit to the eye doctor today (she has issues with focusing/crossing her eyes). I really do not know what the outcome of the visit was, the jargon was way over my head. What I got out of it was that it's not a really bad problem, if even a problem at all. We follow up in 8 weeks. If no improvement she will be getting baby glasses. Below is a pic of Daphney with her shades on after having her eyes dilated.

Visit from Grandmother!

2009-04-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

I had a LONG work week, so Donald's mom came to help out with Daphney. Donald got to relax all weekend with them while I worked :(. Yeah for no more work! I could definitely handle the stay at home mom thing... Here are some pics from the fun weekend!

Alabama Fun

2009-04-21T11:32:00.000-07:00

Daphney and I took a girls trip to Alabama this past weekend while Donald was busy studying for his boards. As always, we had so much fun. Daphney will no longer just sit still, she has to be playing. She is getting so close to crawling, I think we will have it down in a week or two! We got to visit so many people this weekend, hence tons of pics!

6 month checkup

2009-04-16T14:21:00.001-07:00

Daphney went for her 6 month checkup today. She weighed 16+ pounds and was 88th percentile for height! Shots, as always, not so fun. She intermittently has issues focusing her eyes, so he is referring her to a pediatric opthamologist.

Easter

2009-04-12T11:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter to everyone! We enjoyed a wonderful Easter Sunday service this morning. No egg hunting to follow though, maybe next year. Daphney stayed wake during Sunday school and church, hence the really sleepy look on her face in all the pics.

Friends

2009-04-11T18:12:00.000-07:00

Daphney loves her puppy and Jackson loves her too, sometimes. He enjoys licking her mouth, which I try to keep to a minimum, and she enjoys yanking his fur. They will be best buds one day.

Spring Time!

2009-04-05T11:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was an extremely nice day so I got Daphney outside for a bit to play in the grass. She is working on sitting up. I caught her propped up in a few pics. It doesn't last to long before she tumbles over, but we're trying.

6 Months!

2009-04-03T18:24:00.000-07:00

I have not posted since the beach. We had such and great time and cannot wait for our next trip hopefully in October. Donald is on an easier rotation this month so we are getting to have bit more family time. We took Daphney to Art, Eats, and Beats in Fondren last night. We listened to some bands and walked around to a few local art galleries. Daphney squealed the entire time. Also, Daphney hit the 6 month mark yesterday. Wow! Here are few more pics of Daphney at the beach and studying with her daddy for the boards.

BEACH!!!

2009-03-21T17:10:00.000-07:00

Daphney got to experience the beach for the first time today! She loved the wind blowing her face and squealed so loud when her feet hit the sand! The ocean was a bit cold but we got to do some swimming in the indoor pool, which she also love and squealed the entire time. We had an absolute blast and are enjoying some much needed time off. Here are tons of pics from our first day!