zoo

this morning b and i went to the zoo with jill and addison! we had a great time and when we got home bennet took close to a 3 hour nap! i will say that she had more fun checking out her little boyfriend then looking at the animals.

st louis trip

our trip to st louis was fun! it was full of cousins, play time, shopping, bad storms with lots of tornado sirens, and good food. bennet always has a blast with her cousins. we have discovered that she sleeps so much better (fast to fall asleep and longer naps) when we are traveling. i guess we should do it more ;)
i know i have said it before but i wish family was closer. our trips are so fun and wish they could happen more often.

family photos

while we were in st louis this week, we got some family pics taken.

i am in love with them. bennet looks just so adorable and it is nice to finally have a decent pic of all three of us. thanks to our friend jenn feagans for taking them!

more traveling

we are heading to st louis on friday for a week. we are so excited to see mimi, aunts and uncles, and of course bennet's fav...cousins!! we have a lot packed in this little trip...celebrating mother's day (my mom), a zoo trip, a photo shoot, and lots of shopping and family hang time. i really have a hard time of not living close to family...especially bc pete travels. but i am thankful it is only a 6 hour drive to see them. 3 hours though sounds a lot better. maybe one day we will all live closer. as in my family moves to nashville because even though st louie is a great city, i am NEVER moving back there. so come on family. the south is so much better.

{the last time we were in st louis...bennet couldn't get enough of her cousin aidan}

9 months

my how you've grown! only one month away from double digit months and only 3 more till you turn the BIG ONE! (you know i have been planning your party since like febuary haha crazy mama)

let me just tell you baby girl how much fun this past month was. it was like when you turned 8 months you thought "i am gonna do some new things!" you got your first tooth right after turning 8 months and a week later you got the other one. i love looking at those little bottom teethers!

you continue to be so super sweet! we traveled a lot this month and you were a trooper. slept well, no melt downs, people commented on what a good baby you were on the plane. the best! i am no longer super fearful of traveling with you.

you want to crawl so so bad. you get up on your knees and rock. we are just waiting on that day. take your time...mommy needs to get some more baby proofing done! you can say da da but we think you have only said it once in reference to daddy. now you just need to get your m's going for ma ma!

you are now a pro at feeding yourself. i have to get creative with things to give you that will still be easy to chew for you. some favs are puffs, yogurt melts, green beans, avocado, banana, peas, and blueberries. i gave you some waffle today and you loved it. you favorite purees are pears, carrots, prunes, cauliflower. you will eat pretty much everything but def prefer to fed yourself.

i can't wait to take you swimming this summer as bath time is one of you favorite things. books are probably your absolute fav thing to do in the day. you are getting into play dates too and adore other babies. we have to get more of these going for you. you love hanging on the porch and watching the cars drive by.
this week you are dealing with some separation anxiety during night time. i let you cry out for 5 mins and go in to rock you. you work yourself up in such a short amount of time it is so sad. but that little rocking time we have seems to help you so much. i love this time as you have always been a put me in my bed, no rocking type of baby. i kinda warms my heart that you miss me. the other day while someone was holding you you reached out for me! ahh the best!

everyday you help me be a better person. you mean so much to me little girl. thank you for letting me watch you grow and learn. being your mommy is the only life i want!!

xoxo, ma ma

mother's day

i am so thankful that this year i got to join in with all the other moms out there in this special day. not because i got pampered and loved on all day (seriously i am spoiled) but because i finally get it. this amazing thing happens in you when you hold your baby for the 1st time. something inside you swells up and overwhelms you and your whole life. it is something that still overtakes me every time i see my baby girl. every time she laughs, talks, cries, yells. every time i hear her cry out in the morning. every time i just think about her. you just get it. everything seems so much more clear and can yet be so confusing. being a mom isn't easy. it isn't hard. it's just so natural.
thank you husband for treating me to a special day...thank you for making me a mom cus you know...wink wink
thank you bennet for being my baby. you are the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. something that i can't do justice to with words.
thank you Lord for blessing me with this lovely family. thank you for life. thank you for creating it all.

bennet's 1st concert...

sanctus real of course! last night pete's band played a show in nashville. we were so excited to see daddy play! bennet rocked her skinny jeans and sanctus real shirt. she danced in my arms and was just in awe of the show. we didn't get to see it all (it was loud and late) but she sure enjoyed it. can't wait till she is older and really understands that that is daddy up there! she stayed up late and was a sweet, happy baby all night. she zonked out in the car on the ride home.

{hanging on the bus}

{watching the show with mama. she is staring at pete here}

{with dada after the show}

ps thanks for the pics courtney!