Happy Birthday to the Love of my life!!

Happy Birthday Micah!!!!

I am SO thankful for my AMAZING husband, now more than EVER!! He has been such a wonderful partner to share parenthood with, both the unbelievable joys and the challanges! I honestly KNOW I could not have done it without him! He manages to bring such a calming spirit to me when I'm stressed.  He helps me keep perspective when I'm bogged down and it is SO FUN to share the blessings of being Caroline's parent with him!

I am also SO thankful that he works so hard, and that allows me to work part time and be home part time! What a blessing that is! Micah continues to be overwhelmingly supportive of me as a wife and parent! I'm loving him SO much!!

And I KNOW it comes as no surprise to hear that Micah is an AMAZING dad! The way Caroline looks at him already is so priceless.  She knows her daddy and knows he loves her and he is FUN to play with! He takes such an active parenting role! He helps with meals, baths, dressing, bedtime, diaper changes.....you name it, he's done it!! He is all around a super DAD!!!

I love you Micah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy Birthday!!!

Here are some photos dedicated to my main squeeze!!

Happy Birthday Caroline!!

It's absolutely unbelievable to me that Caroline is 1 today! Amazing how quickly the year has flown by! I'm sorry for the lack of blog postings, and I hope to make up for it with lots of pics and a video in this post. 

Caroline has been "scrawling" for quite a while now.  That is the term our friend Melissa gave to her unique way of crawling.  It's half scooting, half crawling....scrawling.  She is now cruising on furniture and with our hands, but her primary mode of transportation continues to be her little scrawl! Here's a video to show you:

She has also developed quite the personality these days! She loves to feed herself, and if we don't keep the food coming fast enough, she lets us know!  Caroline has also developed some favorite activities....Below are some pictures of her taking all the hand towels out of their place.  She likes to take them all out, throw them on the ground, and when I put them back up, she repeats the process!

Another of her favorite things to do is to play with socks.  OF ALL THINGS!!! She loves socks, dirty, clean she doesn't discriminate! She loves them all.  In one of the pics below she has pulled all the clean socks from the laundry off the couch and is playing with them..... She's a great helper with the laundry! 

And speaking of the things she loves.....SHOES.  In fact last Saturday I was working an Micah took Caroline to get a new pair of shoes.  Well he got her her first pair of GOWGIRL boots. And let me tell you, SHE LOVES THEM!!!! In fact, the next morning she was crawling around and found them on the floor.  She picked them up, and crawled over to Micah and made him put them on her, OVER her footy pajamas!! Here's a pic of her in her CUTE fall outfit with her boots, AND the one of her in her PJs with her boots on!!

 I also want to share these cute pics of her with her sunglasses on! She and I were playing on the floor with them and she was having so much fun that she actually kept the glasses on! The best part about these pics to me, is that there are (somewhere) the same pictures of Clara wearing the exact same glasses! These were hers when she was little and they have found their way up here for Caroline!

These next few are a little older than the previous ones.  They were taken about a month ago.  Heidi, Savannah and Chad (Prior to Sawyer's birth) gave Caroline this cute little riding and pushing things for Christmas last year.  Well she's finally old enough to play with it, and she adores it! She especially loves to push it around the house (yes, walking as she does).  Thanks to the Flannerys for giving Caroline her first wheels!!





All of these pictures and all of the fun you see in them is just to say...HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our sweet baby girl.  It has been the best joy for Micah and I to get to be her patents! We love you Caroline! You have been such a treat! It is just amazing how God uses our children to show us of His love for us.  Thank you Caroline for helping us to learning even deeper how much He loves His children!!

new pics

 Here are a few pictures for anyone who looks at this to enjoy!! They are very recent.

 

Here's our big girl sitting in her newish big girl high chair! She loves sitting in it and REALLY loves eating with her own hands.  Its cute to watch, despite the messiness making me cringe!!

This is her in a Castles and Crowns outfit.  Micah's boss's daughter-in-law owns the company and they were having a facebook competition.  I'm almost embarrassed to say we entered this pic in the contest. Sadly she didn't win. But she's the cutest in our book!!

This was another pic taken that morning.

Caroline in her cupcake jammies being held by Melissa.  Melissa's dad John L is having surgery on Friday, September 23.  We are praying and will continue praying for him, Deb (Melissa's mom), Melissa, Tray (her brother), the surgeons and all involved in his treatment and recovery down at M. D. Anderson in Texas

OK this was earlier today.  I took the polish off my toes and Caroline made herself busy with the "left over" toilet paper.  She had it streaming all over the floor! She was having big fun, and keeping me on my toes as she kept trying to eat small pieces!

I especially LOVE this picture...here's why...she's happily playing with toilet paper and a Tupperware....but look closely in the background.  Yes, that IS her whole tub of toys that are just sitting there UNTOUCHED!!! Her birthday is in November, I guess we'll get some new Tupperwares and toilet paper for her!!

Update

Well it has been a while since I posted... again! Life seems to just happen and go by TOO FAST!! We have had a LOT going on. Caroline is crawling all over the place.  She does a funny little crawl.  she kinda half scoots, half crawls; the whole time keeping her left leg curled up under herself and propelling herself with the right foot.  As soon as I get a video I'll post it! We have also finally accomplished a big hurdle....she is now napping in her own bed instead of the swing! Honestly she must have just been ready because it has been a seamless transition.  She and I sit in her rocking chair and read a few books.  (I give her her passy and her special blanket.) then I just put her down! She talks in her bed for a few minutes then goes on to sleep! Thanks to everyone who has given us books! She (and I) are really enjoying them!!

On other new things, Caroline is saying "Dog." Well it really sounds more like "Daa." But she says it most definetly in reference to Prince! I also think she MAY be saying Da-da in reference to Micah.  It is kinda inconsistent but it seems she may know Da-da is Micah...

We had some visitors this past weekend.  Ginger's younger son Steve, his wife Kristen and their two girls Anna Clare and Owen stayed with us Friday night.  We had a blast! We ate pizza and made hot fudge sundays! Then Saturday we hung out and did a little shopping while they waited for Kristen's new niece to finish her newborn photo shoot!! It was a great time for all.

Here are a few pictures taken with my iPhone.  I'll get some with the real camera soon and get them up here!

Playing with a bib! Anything makes a great toy!!

Sitting in her high chair.  Such a big girl! Isn't the flower clip cute! Thanks Jeannine who made it for her!

I used an app called Instagram to make this one look older.  Pretty cool I think.

Papa Nick and Gigi's Wedding

Well on Saturday, August 27th my dad and Gigi tied the knot! They have been together about 3 years now and we couldn't be happier for them both! We just love Gigi and we are so excited about our new family.  Gigi's real name is Ginger, but she has four grandchildren (#5 due November 15th) and they all call her Gigi.  Clara and Eric were able to come in town for the big event as well!! Ginger has two boys, Brad (the eldest) and Steve.  Brad is married to Jenny and has Walker (10) and LeighEllen (6).  Steve is married to Kristen and they have Anna Clare (8) and Owen (4), and little boy on the way.  (They don't have a name yet but are affectionately calling him Pedro!!) I am SO excited about all the new cousins Caroline inherited in one day! We REALLY like our new family!

The wedding was at 10am followed by two parties.  One very nice brunch given by my dad's dad and Mrs. Anne (his GF).  And a second, family mostly, gathering that evening at Dad and Gigi's house complete with Uncle Cary and PawPaw playing the guitar.  A true "Holmes" night! All of the festivities were WONDERFUL!!!! Here are some pictures for you to enjoy and to introduce my new siblings!!

The Happy Couple!!

Micah, Caroline and me. Caroline was SO ready for a nap! But she was a trooper!

Brad and Jenny, and their two Walker and LeighEllen.  LeighEllen REALLY was SO excited for the weekend even though she looks sad in this picture!

Steve and Kristen with their two Owen (on the left) and Anna Clare.

Gigi with her three older granddaughters. They were flower girls!

The three flower girls!

The flower girls and Walker before the wedding. He walked Gigi down the aisle. It was SO cute!!

Anna Clare holding Caroline.

The whole family! from left to right: Steve, Kristen, Owen, LeighEllen, Anna Clare, Jenny, Brad, Walker, Gigi, Nick, Kate, Micah, Caroline, Clara and Eric!

**A special thank you to Kristen for the pics! Micah and I forgot our camera of course!!**

Beach Trip

We took a WONDERFUL beach trip to Carillon Beach last week.  It was beautiful and SO much fun! But before we went to the beach, we stayed with my dad and Ginger a few nights.  Although we neglected to take any pictures of dad or G, my cousins came to visit and see Caroline!! Once at the beach, we had a great house that we shared with my mom and her husband Andy, Micah's parents and brother John, and John's girlfriend Jamie.  The house was called "Two Stuffed Olives".  If you google it you can see pictures of the place.  It was pretty amazing!

Caroline seemed to like the beach.  She played in the sand and really loved the water, both the pool and the Gulf.  We also had Andy take some group and family pictures towards the end of the trip.  Thank you Elinor and Mike for making the long trip down to be with us! And Thank you Mom and Andy for helping make the whole week happen! It was a GREAT time for all involved!!  Here are a few pictures of the week.  Enjoy!!

Two of my cousins, Kaki with Caroline and Gigi next to her.

 Their sister Sarah who will be a freshman at Auburn this year!

 Swimmy diaper on, ready for the water!!

 My Aunt Mary came and visited us one day! Thanks Mary for the visit! Loved seeing you!!

 Ready for the water and sun Goose!!

 "I LOVE THE WATER!!"

 That's all of us, except Andy who took all the pictures.  Thank you Andy.

 Uncle John with Caroline

 My mom and Andy.

 They Salsman men

 John and Jamie

One last family shot!