some things i want to remember...

your little voice and how you jibber jabber all day.

how your little hands wrap around my neck and you give me a "sqeeze"

how you take care of all your little babies (stuffed animals) your favorites are your blue, teddy bear (that you named "goal"), and your little monkey. you love them so much.

how you sing along with us to your favorite lullaby "my darling" (it sounds like "my daddy" when you sing it)

how every time pull in the driveway you say "Wer Hooommme!" then immediately say "grarden!!!" you love going to look at the garden

mama needs a night out!

last night, me and my best girlfriends got out of the house for a much needed girl's night. i cannot tell how much i needed this. pete was on a crazy long tour since Jan. and it just ended this week. i quickly asked the girls what night we could all get together and i was so excited that everyone couldn't wait! the last time we all got to go out sans babies was when my friend katie told us she was pregnant. her baby is now 3 months old! needless to say, it was MUCH needed.

i love these ladies so much. i have been roommates with each of them at different times. i have the best memories with all of them. it was such a fun time in my life and i am so thankful i got to share it with them. i love that now we are all in this mommy stage and get together and talk about EVERYTHING! thanks for all the laughs ladies. i was dragging today but i would do it all again tomorrow!

{quote of the night "what tequila drinks do you recommend cus i just had a beergarita over at chuy's and i loved it!"} ~m

18 months!

how and when did this happen?! seriously life is flashing by with this little one.

(your 18 month bday!)

some highlights this past month:
you are talking so much! you pick up new words everyday and you understand pretty much everything i say to you. you are running and love to dance. you have become obsessed with Tangled and love the song parts in it. you have to get up and dance as soon as they start singing. it is pretty much the cutest thing ever! you are learning what timeouts are and we have picked out a timeout spot. you love pretend play and playing outside. luckily the weather has been great out so i try to get you out daily. blowing bubble, bath time, coloring, feeding yourself are all some of your fav things.
mimi came and stayed with you for 5 days while momma and dadda went on a cruise. it was really hard being away from you but daddy and i did have fun. we thought about you constantly. you loved being with mimi and you def got spoiled. when we got to talk to you on the phone you cried a bunch and that was really hard. you missed us and that was nice to know. we missed you so so much. i couldn't wait to get back to you!
we went to your doc appt yesterday and you are 21.5 pounds and 30 inches. you are growing very well! you are teething right now but so far i am pretty sure you have around 12 teeth.
this past weekend we went out on the road with daddy to his shows. lets just say bus life is not your fav. you loved being around everyone during the day and listening to some of the bands but you hated sleeping on the bus. mommy pretty much slept 6 hours all weekend and that was only bc i napped while you did. i got no sleep at night so we were all pretty exhausted when we got home.
you, my dear, continue to be one fun little girl. you have the best personality with a lot of sass and a lot of sweetness. you love to laugh and giggle and you def like having everyone's attention. i can't believe that soon you will be 2. i don't even know how that happened. i am so thankful you are here and that i am able to be your mommy. i love you lots little b!

(you are obsessed with wearing glasses)

(daddy did your hair ;))

(piggies!)

(on a walk)

(swinging at the park)

(another fav playing with glop a cornstarch and watch mixture)

traveling without baby

I mentioned before that next month we will be leaving bennet for the first time for a cruise. we are flying my mom down to stay with her for 5 days while i am so very far away on a boat in the sea. i am mostly excited but also very nervous. i would be a lot better if we were going away somewhere close so it's a little daunting to know i am gonna be so far away. but my mom is the best and i am so thankful she will be here for bennet. living in another state has made it hard for them to see each other and spend time so i am excited for them. i know mimi is so excited!

i also mentioned before that i have been doing 30 day shred. although i haven't been able to do it EVERY day. i figure though that i am working out most days and that is better then none at all. but the extra pounds are hanging on for dear life. i don't think i will be too excited to squeeze into my one piece. i did get a big floppy hat so i am excited about that. now i just need to find a cute cover up haha. before we go i am able to do a little shopping (i am babysitting for my old nanny family at the end of this month. the little girls LOVE bennet so we are looking forward to it and the $$ i am getting for doing it) i have been doing some online browsing but will most likely just go to forever 21 and francesca's do you have a francesca's in your town? i absolutely love this store! the prices are not too bad either! so all that to say here are some of the items from these stores that are currently waiting in my bag:

this dress would be perfect for a nice dinner aboard ship or when we dock in the Bahamas.

i am obsessed with this bag. i don't have any small purses so i have to buy one before we go.

another bag i love!

my goal, since being a mommy doesn't allow for it most days, is to dress up and wear heals like the whole time! these are a must

this ring set is so fun and cute!

i need to start wearing earrings.

i have a ton of stuff i want from forever 21 too. i am excited at the thought of dressing up a lot!

even though i am really nervous to leave my baby, i think this trip will be good for everyone. i am really excited to reconnect with pete and for my mom and bennet to spend lots of time together.

now time to go shopping!

happy new year!

the happiest of new year friends! 2011 was a great year. our little family was blessed so much this year. we are so thankful to put a great year to rest and so excited to see where 2012 takes us! we have lots of exciting plans already for this coming year, including in feb daddy and mommy are leaving bennet overnight for the first time. i am both excited and very, very scared. my mom is flying down to stay with her and i am thankful for that...but we are talking 5 nights away from my little baby! ugh i start tearing up just thinking about it. i have to remind myself how great it will be for us to have some alone time and reconnect but still....

in april we are flying to california for pete's brother's wedding. we are planning on going up to san francisco for a couple nights too. this should be a fun filled trip! including a trip to disney land!

bennet will be 2, pete will be 30, we will celebrate 4 years of marriage and maybe (if i can talk daddy into it) i will be pregnant by the end of the year. haha

lots to look forward to. thanks 2011 for a beautiful year!

lately...in instagram photos

i wasn't feeling very good and Bennet knew that baby cuddles would make it better

cuddle time!

relaxing!

after nap it is always snack and cuddle time while watching a show.

snuggling with mimi on christmas.

we took bennet to the grand ol' opry to see all the christmas lights.

santa brought a play kitchen!!

daddy took this...i am sure they were getting ready to snuggle with a show. ps that is not all she does...it is just a good time to snap pics cus she is sitting still for a minute.

my adorable sister and her handsome men on christmas!

bought her a new hat!

Merry Christmas...a few days late

From our family to yours

hope everyone's Christmas was lovely! ours was spent in st louis with my family. sadly my sister and her little girl were down with the stomach flu so this was the 2nd year in a row that sickness kept us from all being together. we missed them but were determined to celebrate. bennet loved ripping the wrapping paper off her gifts. it was the cutest. she was so intense. she got lots of toys...tons of food for her play kitchen and tons of baby stuff. her favorite though would have the be the little stuffed Blue from blue's clues we saw the night before christmas at a grocery store. haha of course the $4 gift is what she loves.

it was a good year, but we decided to stay home next year and make our own traditions. it will be good for us and i really want bennet to wake up in her own house on christmas morning. we will be sad and miss our family but this will def be good for us.

Have a happy new year!!!