OnE YeAr OlD!!!



 

 

 

One year old!  How is it even possible that our sweet Marlie Grace is one year old? 

 

Our sweet MG,

 

You are an absolute delight.  You make me laugh out loud more times than I can count in a day.  You have such a sweet sweet spirit and a mischievous nature that will keep us on our toes for years to come.  Your grin,when you are up to something, is one of my favorite things in the entire world!  Even your teachers say you are the class clown.  Ha!  We are so incredibly and richly blessed to be able to call you our daughter.  I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I got to hold you for the very first time.  I had no idea that your big blue eyes would fill places of my heart that I didn't even know were there.  I had no idea that your "little man" giggle would be a sound that I long for.  I had no idea that your little hugs were just the thing I was missing in my life.  Now I know and am better for it.  Thank you!  You go at life 90 miles per hour.  I think you were running before you were walking, seriously!  You love to imitate your sister and, occasionally, aggravate.  Ha! You love your family and always have hands up and a smile on your face when any of us enter the room.  You also love CoCo and follow her around quite a bit.  Too bad she doesn't know you are hot on her heels!  You love to eat.  We haven't found much that you don't like yet.  :)  You have four teeth, sleep like an absolute champ, and say several words.  Dada is the one we hear most!  None of us can get enough of you!  You are truly too big for this world.  I cannot wait to see what Jesus has in store for you.  You are going to do big, big things, I just know it! I am looking forward to every day of being your momma.  It would be OK if they went just a little slower!  No need to be in such a hurry, the world will wait for you my sweet girl. 

 

All my love!

 

 

 

Marlie Grace is having a "Sweet Shoppe" birthday party next week. We visited a real sweet shoppe to take pictures for her invitations.  SO much fun!

 

 

 Here was MG's loot for her first b'day from the family.  Madie even went shopping to pick a special gift for her sister.  She got her the coolest chicken that makes all kinds of animal sounds.  ;)

 

 She liked it!

 After presents and breakfast we headed to the Stock Show.  Marlie LOVED all the animals.  She even got her picture on a horse.  No fear. 

 

 

 

 We finished the day with a special cake.

 

Madie was such a good big sister the entire day.  She must have sung "Happy Birthday" a hundred times!  Ha!

 

Happy birthday sweet baby girl!  Looking forward to many, many more.  

First Haircut!

 

Madie just had her first haircut!  Wow!  She loved getting it done.  Looks fabulous don't you think?

 

Happy New Year!

 

Happy New Year!

 

This year we decided to party like parents of a 2.5year and 11 month old~ sparkling grape juice, tacky hats and noisemakers!  I do have to say - it may be my favorite one yet.  Madie led a fantabulous parade through the house, Marlie is questioning her family.  Ha!  Madie said her favorite thing this year was "Carter Allen" - a boy at school - OH CRAP!!  My favorite thing - well that's SO obvious - our family.  It's hectic, at times it is pure chaos!  But my heart is full and my soul smiles.  I cannot begin to imagine why I am as blessed as I am - I just call it favor.  Favor for which I am eternally thankful.  I have the husband of all husbands who loves all his girls with all his heart.  And two precious baby girls that rival all I know.  SO - I don't know how a year could get better!  My resolution this year is to remain thankful.  Thankful and aware.  Thankful and aware of all of our blessings.  Thankful and aware of each moment, they are fleeting!  Thankful and aware of this great thing that we call family.  Thankful and aware that not everyone is as blessed as I have been.  I didn't earn it, He earned it for me.  And for that I am forever thankful and aware.  Blessed New Year to each of you! 

11 Months Old!

 Marlie Grace is 11 months old today!  Holy cow!  I cannot even believe how fast this time in our lives is passing.  MG is absolutely precious.  She has definitely come into her own.  She is super mischievous!  She is always getting in to something but has this really sweet smile on her face so you would never suspect her.  Marlie has four teeth, that ALL made heir appearance at the same time!  She is eating a lot of table food and shares with her sister most of the time.  She loves her food! Ha!  Actually, there isn't much MG doesn't love.  She plays all the time, kisses a lot, talks a lot and thinks her sister is awesome!  Pictures this month was quite a challenge.  Those blocks are just WAY too interesting.  

Little sisterly love

 

 TOO dang cute not to post!

 This is when Marlie started her favorite game - dropping everything and saying "UH-OH!"

 

We love, love, love you blue eyed girl!  I could have never imagined how much more wonderful our lives could be and then we had you!  

Maybe Not For Hallmark Movies

Marlie Grace's worst  first Christmas was a little interesting to say the least!  Things started off fantastic as the girls I headed to Abilene early.  They couldn't wait to see everyone!   

 

They have Case just where they want him!

 

Poor little Marlie started feeling bad Christmas Eve and that resulted in a Christmas morning trip to the ER.  Just a little virus she couldn't seem to kick, but not the Christmas she had been witnessing on the nightly ABC Family Christmas movies the girls had been subjected to for a month or so!  All said, we still had an incredibly blessed Christmas again this year and were SO happy to be able to spend it celebrating with family. 

 

 Christmas cookie decorating is hard work!

 Madie and Hadley hanging out in Mimi's baskets! HA!

 I think Marlie is saying "look Mom!  She's crawling!"

 Several attempts at a cousin Christmas picture............

 These two were always up to something!

 The little bits

 My sweet Case.

 Standing in a sea of presents. 

 My sweet Case. 

 Before the fun began...

 Madie was going so fast I don't know if she even knew what all she was seeing!

 Marlie Grace loved opening presents even though she was not feeling great!

 Cooper and Madie playing with their new toys!

 Before going to bed Christmas Eve, Madie and Cooper had to make sure there was reindeer food in Mimi and Granddaddy's front yard. 

 Christmas morning the girls woke up to find that Santa had definitely made it to Abilene!

 

Madie had more Dora stuff than we know what to do with and Tinkerbell's house too.

 Marlie Grace got a new rockin' bike and a block to play with too!

 

 The pictures stop about there because it was shortly thereafter that we headed to the hospital.  My silver lining - Christmas isn't about the toys, the ambiance, the traditions.  It is about family, celebrating our health, blessings and Savior.  As I sat in the ER worried about my little MG, I couldn't help but think of the significance of sacrifice our Father made for us.  As a parent, it breaks your heart to see you kids not at their best.  You would take away every pain just to see them happy.  Could you even begin to imagine watching them on a cross?  Hanging on a cross to save us from our sins?  The unbelievable love it would take to watch your child be sacrificed will never be lost on me.  That is the reason we celebrate Christmas.  And this girl needed a little reminder of the greater purpose.  We are looking forward to a blessed New Year.  And looking forward to how we can bless others as we humbly lay it all at His feet.