Photo Shoot #2

Took some photos of my nephew Logan this week for his 2nd birthday - again....I surprised myself :-)

My first try and a real photo shoot

I took these on Tuesday evening for a friend at work and her fiance - it's their engagement photos. This is just a SMALL sampling of the photos - I took 315 and about 120 were GREAT! I was so proud of myself!! They love them too, and that's what matter!

Fall...and all it brings with it

Well, it's that time of the year again - and as Monica put it best on her blog, it's THE BEST time of the year! LOVED your blog on it Monica!
This year is different for many reasons. I am a Mommy now - at the beginning of last fall I could not truly say that. I feel this year, more than ever, the excitement of fall - the excitement of yelling "GO IRISH!" and having Macy Kate grunt with me in excitement over college football - the excitement of dressing her up for Halloween and just enjoying this phase of her walking and just being a part of our life - excitement of planning her 1st birthday party - excitement of the holidays with her being old enough to rip into gifts and just be a part of the festivities. All of this being the first of this, makes you look back on last year when she was here, but not really old enough to do anything - that leads to thoughts of post child-birth and the PPD I went through and then the thoughts go to Dad dying suddenly at her 5 wk mark and ALL that followed that....so the feeling of Fall goes from super excited, to remembering that day, almost 1 year ago, when my life was forever changed with the news of Dad dying. I am trying so hard not to think like that but it's hard - Dad will not see her turn one, he will not see her in her adorable Halloween costume, he will not PHYSICALLY see any of that but I know he is looking down from heaven but it's just so strange how life just goes on.....
If any of you have lost anyone close to you, VERY suddenly, then you know what I mean - you still can go back to that very moment when you were given the news and you can get lost in those feelings - I am so glad Fall is here, don't get me wrong, but the cooler the air gets the more I think of THAT day. But, because we worhsip an AMAZING God, I KNOW I will see Dad again one day and I must rest in that fact.
Sorry, I did not mean to get off on this tangent, it's just all goes together in one basket (Fall, MK's birth, Dad's death, etc.) - I hope one day to have it all separate in my head, but for now, it's together and I am trying hard to get past it.
Just some random thoughts for you today :-)

An hour at Portrait Innovations

The Harmon crew went down there last Sunday for an hour and it turned out very well. Here's most of the photos with Macy Kate in them.

Look who's steppin' out on her own!

She took several steps even AFTER this video - all by herself from the couch!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

It's me. The blogger stranger

Yes, I feel very strange blogging - it's been too long. Honestly, I did it most at work on lunch or something - it was a great release every day to blog and then they took our ability away and now I am left to taking time away from my family to blog - not really something I am fond of doing but I am going to attempt to do it more.
I am going to throw photos in here along the way today.
Macy Kate got her first boo-boo this weekend - she and Daddy and cousin Drake were playing chase and she ran right into our bed rail and actually took a small piece out of the wood with her tooth! It bled and bled and was discolored for two days but seems to be healing now. It was scary though!

This last week we had a get together with Doug' Aunt, Uncle and cousins. They are from Aiken, SC but two of them live far away with their baby and they are missionaries - they are amazing people to do this! I am way to anal and schedule oriented to go all over but that's why God has not called me to that field :-)
Here's a shot of the cousins and their spouses and kids - poor Sandy had to be alone since Kenny could not make it. And there is another picture here of the kids on the swing - it took A LOT to get this photo!!

Let's see, what else has been going on. We went and reserved the place at the park for MK's 1st birthday party - it will be lady bug themed, I can't wait! Here's a photo of the covered pavilion. We will have pizza and just hang out and enjoy the memories of her being born. I can not believe she will be one soon!! I have lots of great things in mind for her party - probably all overboard but whatever...it's her very first birthday....it's a big deal :-)
Going to put a few more photos on here - some from this weekend of her standing alone for the first time. Hard to believe she will be walking in no time!
What else has been going on? Hmm...well, not a ton. We have had my nephew from Houston here for a few weeks, he has mainly been at my sister's but we have enjoyed him some. We had Allie over for a weekend recently - will post some of those photos at the end. We have mainly just been enjoying our family time and hanging out - nothing huge to report :-) I promise to get on here again REALLY soon!! I miss you all! I do everyone's every day - work will let me read them, just not comment on them or post on mine - it stinks! I need to find a new blog way! HA!! Please check my facebook, I have lots of photos on there and will email our videos from time to time too. I'll try posting a small one on here - just takes so long to upload.

Catch me if you can!!

OH yes they call her the streak............she likes to show off her physique.....
That's Macy Kate! She has the world's fastest flip when you are trying to change her diaper! She got away from Daddy here but she has gotten away from everyone - she is FAST and STRONG!



She will act like she is just going to stretch and then before you know it she is on the other side of the room and you are holding an empty diaper going "Wait a minute!" :-)

New post...finally! One more below this too!

Well, I have not blogged in a while and my new idea is to blog AT LEAST once a week - maybe like the paper with coupons, you all can know when to check in once a week to get the good stuff :-)

Macy Kate is 8 months old today - amazing! In 4 short months we will celebrate her 1 year birthday, and some days is has flown by so fast and other days we sit around and say "WHAT did we do before her?!" :-)

She has 2 teeth now and is working on more and she is ALL over the place! She is like a tornado...a ball of activity in a room - she NEVER stops moving! I guess I am glad because most of the time she sleeps like a rock and this is probably why, but it makes for a very tiring day sometimes - but we would not trade it for anything!

She is "talking" more and more and making her presence know for sure! She stops people everywhere we go with her killer smiler...she can really get the attention!

She only likes to be held for small amounts of time and then she wants down to go, go, go! She is starting to learn to give kisses and she will spit her paci out if you tell her to - it's funny!!

I am not off on every Friday anymore but I am taking random days off here and there and we are spending great time together! She is really one of the smiliest babies I have ever known!

We are going to Houston at the end of this month and I can't wait to see her and the twins together now that they are bigger and more active - hopefully she won't walk all over them! HA!

I'll update some more photos this week, I promise!!!

Coupon Craze!

Let the coupon clipping begin!! We have begun our "stockpile" and for two weeks in a row we have saved almost $40 on groceries - not bad for a start! We are building up things in the pantry and we are building up our coupons too - I made my coupon book last week. I think we will get the hang of it soon and see HUGE savings! It has totally changed the way we think about buying things! It's addicting!

Wagon ride & bath time

(photos are not in order - no time for that! HA! )
Cousin Logan came by last week and we took them down to our little park in their wagon and they looked so cute!! We played at the park some and then came back and put them both in the tub for some fun pics! Getting them to both look at the same time AND smile is impossible but we did our best! :-) Enjoy the pics!

I miss you bloggers :-) Lots of new posts - scroll down

Well, as some of you may know, my work has blocked a ton of websites so I am unable to comment on any blogs or update mine - I can read them, but that's about it. It really puts a damper on my blog life :-) I love updating myblog and it's been too long!
Since I last posted, Macy Kate turned started crawling, she turned 7 months old, I celebrated my very first Mother's Day, and I turned 36....A LOT has happened!










Let's start with luv bug crawling.....She started slowly but once she got the hang of it, she is now a force to be reckoned with! I will attach a video here, with some other photos. (I have a hard time getting photos to go in the order I want so they will more than likely be all out of order! HA!)

She is JUST about to get two bottom teeth and how cute she will be when those come in!
She tuned 7 months old on the 7th and is on her way to 8 months old...WHERE does the time go! I am already thinking about her 1st birthday! My Mom is planning to come to town and it will be so fun! Many emotions will be coming out....Dad will not be here and it will be bitter sweet to celebrate her turning one but without him here. I am planning on a lady bug theme - already found an outfit I want to get made.
Okay, back to the other stuff - my 1st Mother's Day was FANTASTIC!! Doug made it so special! He made me breakfast and MK had the sweetest card for me and we dedicated her at church that day - what a PERFECT day to dedicate your baby to God! I'll put some pics on here of that too. We had a great lunch with family/friends and then we enjoyed a Sunday afternoon at home and Doug made dinner.

Then I had my 36th birthday - not too amazing...just on my way to 40! HA! Doug made breakfast and was so sweet to me and we actually had a little date this last weekend.

So...that's about all that has gone on the last few weeks - just livin' our life and making memories :-) I'll attach various photos/a video here - enjoy and I promise to try and update again soon!
Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

First time in a "pool" but not really what she wanted

I drug out this blow up rubber duckie she used to bathe in and tried to make it a "pool" for her last week - she didn't really care for it but she sure looked cute in her bathing suit! HA!!!

Animal print cutie pie!

Need I say more? :-)

First time to try ice cream!

We took her to Bruster's last weekend and gave her a baby cone - She loved it!! She was not too sure about it being so cold but she went with it, made a mess, and had fun! :-)

Already sharing Daddy's love for the yard!

Macy Kate LOVES to be out in the yard with her Daddy! Doug has a true love for the yard/landscaping (guess it's something to do with his business! HA!) so he has already started putting that love in her - it's cute! She will be SO into whatever he is doing out there! He is already talking about getting her some gradening gloves and stuff for her birthday :-)
I can already see many a night in the fall of telling those two to come in for dinner and quit playing in the dirt! :-)

Pretty In Purple

A week or so ago we drove out to Buckhead for a drama performance of Allie's and the church it was at had these pretty flowers and this little bench and we had time to kill and a camera in hand....so what do you think I did? :-)

She looks so pretty in purple (thank you Laura...for the outfit - it's one of our favorite's!) and as always, she's a HAM for the camera!

The last few pics are of her and Allie & Maddy on stage after the performance - this child belongs on stage! HA!!! She is a total performer already!

Her first "studio" shot

There's a place by my work that does custom clothes and embroidery for kids and I only get to buy stuff there when it's on sale :-) The last time I was there they said a photographer was coming in to do some shots for fun and we could get a free 5x7 if we came in (the idea was to get you to buy clothes while there! Which worked because I had alreay bought the polka dot outfit but purchased the turquoise/brown dress while I was there that day!)

Well, I told Alisha about it so she could bring Logan too and we tried really hard to get a shot of the 2 of them together but we had no success until I had already taken her out of her special clothes and put her in her casual clothes but I was happy we got at least one!

I really like the shot of her in the pink & brown but the other one just does not capture her. It was good to get a few shots of her but honestly, I think I could have done better :-) But oh well, she is 6 months old and needed a "pro" shot or two so here they are :-)

On your mark...Get set....GO!!!

Well, TRY and go at least :-) Macy Kate is trying SO hard to get somewhere - anywhere. She usually just ends up going backwards but it's not for lack of trying :-) Soon enough we'll be chasing her down, but for now it's fun to watch her get up on those toes like she is in the baby runners race! :-)

Easter Bunny visits & Christ has risen....is there anything better?

MK has NO clue what was going on Easter morning but she was still excited! :-)

We had a great morning with her and then went to an AWESOME service where my best friend sang like an angel "I Will Rise" - it was so beautiful!

Macy Kate was a little doll baby in her Easter "get up" - her purse was the real hit! Last minute Target dollar isle item! HA!!!

We went over to my in-laws' house after church and had a great time - my sister & brother-in-law and nephew came too - so it was one big family event. The food was great and the weather was PERFECT!

The best part of the day was knowing that we WILL rise one day to meet Jesus and because He died for us this is possible - what a gift!! I will rise to see my Dad one day and will sit with him & Jesus and sing praise songs - what a hopeful thing to have in my life!

Half of a year....what a gift from God!

My baby is 6 months old today - shocker!! I find myself sitting at work, typing this blog (yes, I know I should be working and I am, sort of) and also reading other blogs of people who mark today with six months or a year from the death of their baby and I find myself SO thankful for these last 6 months with Macy Kate - and every day that God chooses to have her in our lives. I don't know what I would do if we ever lost her but like these other people, we would lean on God and make it but we would never be the same. Isn't it breath taking how something so small can impact your life in such a HUGE way. I was a nanny for 3 years and I thought I knew what it meant to love a child - I would have done anything for Allie and Maddy and yet I still did not know the love I would have for my own child. It is something that oozes (is that a word?) out of me, and in turn, causes a wonderful ripple effect in every area of our life. I see Doug with her and I love him SO much more because of his love for her...I see what joy she brings to our family life and it brings me closer to my mother/father-in-law and makes me schedule time with them, for her....I hear the pure joy in my Mom's voice when she tells me she received a video or picture of MK and it made her day, and in turn I miss and love my Mom so much and am SO happy I can bring this joy into her life...I am brought closer to my sisters & sister-in-law & girl friends because I finally share this motherhood thing with them and it enriches my life to have them in it and us share this bond....it makes me thank God every day for her and for her health and brings me closer to our Creator and forces me to see a little bit of Him in everything, whereas before we were so focused on us....EVERY area of our life is made better by her presence and just think....she's only been here 6 months! :-)

In the last 6 months I have grown as a mom and a wife and a woman....I have a litte more patience (still working on this one! HA!), a LOT more love and a ton more to be thankful for. She has given me a new identity....I am a MOMMY...it's something I longed for growing up and I still look in the mirror when I have her in my arms and I can't believe she is mine...I am her Mommy...that will never change.

6 months ago today I was so out of it....I was begging for an epidural and asking "How much am I dilated now" and trying not to throw up - but still ended up throwing up! HA! I had my family & Doug's family in and out of the room supporting me....and my precious Dad offering to do whatever he could - UGH....I don't want to cry today over Dad but here I go:-) I will never forget that day - the memory of that whole time around her birth is wrapped around my Mom & Dad and them being here and the wonderful time I thank God we had together before his sudden death, because of Macy Kate. Also, because of her and the love I have for her Daddy, I had several people in the delivery room and that was not something I was sure about at the time but looking back on it I really did treasure that - it was perfect...everyone was wonderful to me and it is a memory that makes her coming into this world even better! God knew this little life that was about to be born would bring all of us together on that day - how awesome He is! Hard to believe that was only 6 months ago - feels like years on some days, but feel like just yesterday at times too. Little did I know, while they were "finishing me up", my Dad was downstairs giving everyone in the waiting room at Cobb Hospital a show of me giving birth - HA!! Intimate moment but he was so proud and excited, he just could not help himself! I miss that Dad - so proud, so technilogically advanced! HA!!!

In the last 6 months Macy Kate has changed so much! Amazing how much life can be in such a tiny body! She is so funny and SO happy - that is the #1 thing people say to us..."She is the happiest baby!" She smiles so much and just loves life and it loves her! She is sitting up so good and trying her best to crawl and I think once she gets on the move, we will be in for a new world because she will be a very active girl! Things she loves - She loves for us to sing to her, she LOVES to feel her Daddy's face, she loves when we go in together to get her out of bed, she loves to be outside, she loves to be rocked, she loves to sleep, she loves to eat, she loves her paci, she loves to watch people! She is just so much joy and fun and love all rolled into one adorable child!

We go for her 6 month check up next week and I can't wait to see what she weighs - my guess is 16 pounds. She is in 6-9 month clothes and seems long for her age. I have GOT to start scrapbooking her life - I don't want to just be getting started and she a year old! Every one of you know I take about 15 pictures of her a day so I have a ton to scrap! :-)
Here are a few pics from last weekend, along with a video of us going in to get her this morning - I will take some pics tonight to mark her 6 month birthday and post those later.

Thank you God for these 6 months and for all the days to come - you have them numbered, you know how they will go and I thank you in advance for every moment!!

Happy 6 month birthday Macy Kate!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com