1st day of Pre-School

So our little baby girl is off to pre-school this morning.  We will see how it goes.  Yesterday we had "meet the teacher" and new parent orientation.  While we were orienteering (does that word work there, I just like it) BellaRose stayed behind with her teachers.  Well BellaRose was the only one who cried!  Out of a room full of kids, our little girl was screaming.  One mother said to me "did you not prepare her".  YES woman I did!  As much as you can prepare a 2 year old for something that they have NEVER experienced in their life!  Today she told me "I thought about you so much last night", gee thanks! I am sure it was all heart felt, but COME ON!  It started off bad yesterday because just yesterday, for the very first time, she became attached to the stuffed animal she is holding.  Never before has she given this animal a second thought until yesterday right before we leave.  We let her take it in the truck but when we get to school we tell her she needs to leave it, because who would think she would care, never having any previous attachments before to this animal!!!  Well by George she did care and was crying before we even got to the building.  Well today as you can see I let her take him because the 2 year olds are allowed "warm fuzzies".   Does this picture to the left not break your sweet little heart?!  This is in front of her school, although you can't see the school.  Below she is with her new lunch box, and school bag, and of course the yet un-named new favorite stuffed animal!  Her teachers are really sweet and they seem to already love my sweet little girl, if they don't I will beat them up along with a few of my friends!

14 weeks

I am pretty sure we are at the beginning of my 2nd trimester.  I can't believe it actually.  Worth and I were just talking about how fast this has gone by and we can't imagine how fast the next 6 months will go.  I would not mind if it actually slowed down!  I know I will get there mentally about having a newborn but at the moment the thought terrifies me.  It helps seeing several of my friends bring home there 2nd baby and how it just seems so natural and that life just goes on.  I hope it is not as boat rocking and earth shattering as bringing home the 1st newborn!  There are not many updates to give you with this pregnancy, no use in telling you all the symptoms of pregnancy, they are what they are.  We are trying to tell BellaRose about what is happening but I am not sure she will fully know until I have a big ole belly and actually something to point at.  It is hard for me to understand that there is a baby in there, I can't imagine what a 2 year old thinks!

We head to our annual Outer Banks trip next weekend.  I am so excited!  We are going to a new spot this year, Buxton to be exact.  I  think it will be a little more secluded then Kill Devil Hills which suits me just fine.  It is such a wonderful time to go, barring there are no hurricanes.  So far so good.  The weather is just perfect, not too hot and certainly not too cold.  You can even wear jeans at night which after a long day on the beach is so very nice!

BellaRose also starts preschool next week for 2 days a week.  I am excited but also stunned that she is starting.  I really believe she is going to thrive.  I got her a precious little lunch bag which she is already so excited about carrying.  She has already filled it with tomatoes and handed them out to Worth, Bill and me.  I hope this shows signs of sharing in preschool, I know that is a bit of wishful thinking!

So I have not gotten to the reasons we do live in a great house, but the pictures below show BellaRose in our backyard which is a great thing about this house.  You can see BellaRose walking to the garden and sand/water table and her sand box.  It is nice that I can open the screen door and she can go outside and I can work in the kitchen without fear of her getting hit by a car.  The only annoyance is Rainy barking at her to throw the tennis ball and BellaRose does not seem to care it only bothers me I guess.  

Boy this is a long post, huh.  I have not written in awhile and I thought I would not have much to say.  I would love for you to check out my photo blog here of the lovely Hannah and a sneak peek at her bridals.  I LOVE THEM!  You will be able to see more in October after the wedding.

You will be happy to know that I did finally order some pictures of Sweet B-Rosey.  It only took me a year!  I am also thinking about having my blog made into a book.  A few blog friends have talked about it and this blog has pretty much been a baby book for BellaRose filled with my favorite pictures.  I think it will be worth it if I can find the time to go through 2 years of blog posts!

Busy busy

I am back from what feels like another whirlwind trip to Atlanta.  The days were packed, but so much fun!  I had 3 portrait sessions booked while I was there, and they were all with my good friends' children.  BellaRose tagged along with me, which is not usually the case, but she did great!  Since I was "working" I did not take any pictures of just hanging out.  You can go to my friend's blogs and see some really fun video and pictures.  First go to Erin's, we met up with her son Walker, and our friend Catherine, and one of her sons Jack.  We met at Chastain Park, pretty much the park I grew up in.  It was so much fun being back there.  I did not necessarily play on the jungle gym when I was younger, but instead galloped my horse through the field, which I am pretty sure is no longer allowed.  I guess they think it might be a safety hazard (whatever).  Now go to my friend Rebecca's blog.  Her daughter, Emerson, and BellaRose are almost the same age.  They had a blast together!  It was so much fun seeing them play together.  BR would get a little possessive of Emerson's toys and we had to have a few talks.  Emerson is so cute, and I just wish you could hear her voice, it is SO raspy and so darn cute.  She calls herself in the 3rd person too!  Bec has a couple of videos up of the girls playing.  

While there I stayed with Sumner and Wes.  They had just gotten a puppy a few days before we got there.  She is an 8 week old white lab.  Her name is Georgia and BellaRose and I called her Sweetie most of the time.  BRose was in heaven!  It was so much fun staying with Sumner too!  It has been years since I have done that and it just felt like old times.  It was good to be "home".  I also got to have lunch with my dad and visit with Grandma, phew!  I told it was packed several days!

I did manage to get a picture of BellaRose carrying a Louis Vuitton.  She is a girl after her mother's heart.  I think that this should be in their ad campaign, forget Madonna!

Water, water everywhere...

... water near and far!  Do you guys know what book that is?  That is another one of BellaRose's books I have memorized now!  This past weekend we went to "Big Rocks" on the Nolichucky in TN right over the NC border.  Worth and I used to go there a lot in college, well really Worth, I would go and just watch.  As you all know BellaRose is in love with water, as is Worth, so this was a perfect outing for the family.  Worth put BellaRose in his boat and she LOVED it.  She calls it a "nanyak".  Again another cute word that she says!  The smallest boat that "they" make out there is for 30lbs and up.  Well BR has a little ways to go until we reach that goal, but by next summer we hope to have her in a boat!  I am pretty sure that this picture of her in the boat will come back in several years when she is a world champion boater and people will be saying "look where she came from".  Sort of like that picture of Tiger Woods swinging a golf club when he was her age.

We went to the Doctor for #2 yesterday afternoon and everything went well.  I was a little nervous, you know how it is, everything is so unknown and you don't really know what is going on in there.  I am not showing, other signs of pregnancy are there, but you don't feel the baby yet and it is just scary times.  Of course I think that the whole pregnancy is pretty scary times, thank goodness for prayer!

So on my next post I am going to talk about all the reasons I should love my current house.  I want to move SO BADLY, but that is not going to happen, so instead I am going to try to think about all the positives (big yard, low mortgage) of this house instead of the negative (too small, cluttered).  I know you will love this personal journey for me!

Carrots and a hole

We are in full summer mode.  The garden is producing like crazy.  We are up to our eyes in tomatoes.  I can't give them away fast enough (so please come get some).  Worth came home last night telling me we were giving a lot of jalapenos to the local Mexican restaurant (Ole's for you local folk).  I get so excited when we are able to give our produce to local restaurants.  It feels like such an honor!  We are also getting some big carrots.  Worth planted "Big Top" carrots from seed.  BellaRose LOVES carrots and she was so proud to show them off.  

The dogs, in their desperation to get away from the heat, have dug a massive hole in the yard, BellaRose has decided that is her new play spot and she would prefer that Worth play in the hole with her.  It is quite a cute sight!
We did celebrate Grandma's 95th birthday at my Aunt and Uncles house this past weekend.  We had such a wonderful time hanging out with family and seeing their gorgeous new home.  I just cannot believe my Grandma is 95!  I will post pictures of that soon.  I am so behind on pictures I just can't even stand it!  You all know that pictures are my passion, but did you know I have not gotten any pictures of BellaRose printed since she was 11 months old!  I have all these gorgeous pictures of her and nothing to show for it!

BellaRose is doing amazing, having a blast of a summer.  She loves the pool, and loves to jump in the deep in, have I told you she is fearless?  She has also taken to calling her daddy, "Worth".  She will ask me "Momma where's Worth".  It is SO cute.  He comes home from work and she yells "Worth!".  I think he would prefer to be called Daddy, but will take what he can get.  

#2 is doing fine as well.  It is the beginning of pregnancy and always scary wondering what is going on in there.  I do feel different with this one and I really take advantage of BellaRose's nap time to take one for myself.  I never did figure out the whole sleep when the baby sleeps deal when she was a newborn, but I have sure figured it out now!  Praise the Lord for 2 hours naps!

Breast Cancer 3 day

So one of my best friends, Margaret, is going to Washington D.C. in October to walk in the breast cancer 3 day event.  She will walk 60 miles in 3 days with thousands of other people in an effort to raise money for the fight against breast cancer.  This subject is personally close to my heart as my mother had breast cancer, and I am so thankful to say, is a survivor and past her 10 year mark a couple of years ago.  I wish I could do this walk, but I can tell as many people about Margaret and her walk as possible.  She has to raise $2300 by the time of the race.  HERE is the link to where you can donate.  Margaret walks in honor of her mother who did not win her fight against a rare cancer.  She will carry in her heart her mother, and all the other people who have been impacted by cancer.

Any amount helps and is greatly appreciated!  Please let me know if you have any questions.

this is the bed

This is the bed that I want Worth to build BellaRose.  Awesome right!?  With the bedding from the last post on the RIGHT!  I know we have time until the new baby comes but this takes loads of planning for this to come to fruition.  

Big Girl Bed?

I have some bad news to tell you.  Well I guess I should not start that way.  We are all fine, but the bed we were all dreaming of BellaRose, the rod iron one, is no more!  I know you all were SO excited about it, but it just did not work out.  Too much effort, too much time, too much money, wrong bed rails, crooked frame, etc.  It really would have been awesome, but I am heading in a new direction, one where I am begging my husband to build her bed.  I mean come on, this was his major in college!  He can do this, I know it!  As you know we are expecting again in February and will need BellaRose's crib by then.  BellaRose was sleeping in her crib the 2nd night we were home, not sure what the plan with #2 will be, but I am thinking along the same lines.  BR does so well in her crib and never tries to climb out.  My sister, Angela, always tells me "Don't fix what isn't broken", but now that her crib will be needed I guess it might be time to start thinking about Big Girl Beds!  I am excited to decorate a new room!  I would love for Worth to build her a bed similar to the one on the left but with a higher middle and a little more whimsical looking and I am pretty sure we will ditch the bally things on the ends.  The bedding on the RIGHT is pretty much what I have decided on.  It is gorgeous!  I am real into white right now too so probably warm white walls with all the color coming from the bedding.  So cute, right?!

Nothing to report on #2 right now.  I will be 9 weeks on Friday and as you know things are pretty uneventful in the beginning.  Just the normal things of being pregnant.  Thank you all for your excitement from last post.  It sure does mean a lot to me!  You guys are the best!  

Pretty soon we will be celebrating a certain Grandma's 95th birthday!  Can you believe that!  So excited to see that woman!

The big reveal

Well I have been silent long enough my friends.  Today I reveal to you that I am pregnant and 8 weeks along at that.  We went to the doctor today finally!  It is always such a long wait, waiting for the 1st appt.  My due date is Feb. 25th.  Close to my mom's birthday the 18th and the day before our nephew's birthday on the 26th.  I have never been a big fan of February so hopefully this will change my mind.  I am going to try my hardest to give this baby as much lip service as I gave my pregnancy with BellaRose.  I know that this will be hard b/c BR is the center of our universe, but I will try.  I will try to post belly pictures, and give you updates as much as possible.  I know you guys are excited and finally Jessica's mom can stop hinting for me to have another one :).

As always your prayers are much appreciated for this precious little one!

Laundry

We finally got a laundry line!  I have been wanting one and we were at Home Depot the other day and my dreams were fulfilled.  I don't care so much about hanging my underwear or pants out to dry on the line for the whole world to see what size I wear, but I do want to hang my sheets.  I have such fond memories of my mom hanging our sheets on the line to dry and the smell of them as you crawl into bed was just bliss.  Little B-Rose helped me today.  She handed me the clothespins and we worked on her math skills.  I would tell her I need 2 and her little mind would start racing and by golly she would give me 2.  Have I told you just how smart she is lately and how sweet this little girl is?  She speaks so well.  We can almost have conversations now.  Her new favorite thing is telling me when something is funny.  She says "Momma, thats funny".  I wish I had any savvy at a video camera because you need to hear her.  Such a sweetie!

What little kid doesn't love running through sheets on a laundry line?

Speaking of laundry you need to check out the new Avett Brother's song "Laundry Room".  It is  a new favorite for me.  It will be on their new album in September but they are starting to release some songs now.  You won't be disappointed.

Curls

These curls are just so sweet and the very reason why I have not and will not cut BellaRose's hair.  The beach air helped to form these, but to see her run and watch them bounce you might die.  

What a sweetie!

More pictures from the trip at my photo blog.

Worth grows a garden

So Worth's garden needs a little face time on the ole blog.  He has been working so hard out there.  Going out every night to talk to his beloved plants, and make sure there are no weeds growing up the spindly stalks and vines.  He has 24 tomato plants.  He promises canning is in his future although we don't have a canner and I am not sure he knows how to do it, but you can't really every doubt the boy.  Every time he sets his mind to something he generally always accomplishes the goal.  I am pretty sure I will have beautiful mason jar pictures filled with tomatoes soon!  BellaRose just adores going out to help Worth in his garden.  She is such a helper and you should hear how she says "squash", it really would melt your heart.  She does a good job helping but has not quite figured out when the vegetables are ready to be pulled off the vine.  She sometimes pulls prematurely but I am pretty sure we will have enough to spare.  We also have loads and loads of peppers and basil.  Which make the best Chicken Holy Basil EVER! I know that the bottom left picture of BellaRose is not really in focus, but I love her focus so much I just had to share with you!  Please enjoy our garden and if you around please come on over and get some fresh produce!

Flower Shop

Thank you all for your e-mails and support from the last post.  It was a bit of a tough week and mainly for my friends.  My heart just broke for them.  Thank you for your prayers they will be needed in the days and months to come!

These are old pictures that I have been wanting to show you for some time.  This is BellaRose's original birthday present.  It was a flower shop and so cute but SO cheaply made we took it back.  We let her play in it first for a little bit though.  She loved it with the windows and doors!  I love the picture of her holding her hand up.  She might be over having a camera in her face 24-7.  Oh well that is never going to change!  

Isle of palms

It has been awhile since I have posted.  We spent a glorious week at the Isle of Palms with Worth's family.  Here is the set-up to the right with our house directly behind, pretty nice, huh!  

Sadly since we have been home some very sad events have occurred and I am  very heavy hearted for my friends.  Just keep this little community in your prayers.  I probably will not be posting again until next week at some time.  Thank you for loving us so good as you always do!

I will leave you with scenes from the beach.  BellaRose had an absolute blast and adores the water.  That is pretty much what she talked about all the time, wawa!