Saturday, August 30, 2008

Our Christmas present being put to good use.



This past Christmas, Brandon and I decided to not buy each other gifts but instead buy a video camera. With a baby on the way, it was something we really wanted to have. So, here is our first edited video of our little girl. No, we don't have too much time on our hands. This only took about 30 minutes to do. If you are surprised... you should get a Mac.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Life as I know it.

Today, as I was elbow deep in dirt in the inside of my oven at 1:15p.m. on week day, made me realize that my life a year ago is very different from my life now.

August 28. 2007
6:15a.m. - wake up, get ready to go to work
6:45a.m.- eat breakfast with my husband, load dishwasher, switch laundry, etc.
7:25a.m.- go to work
7:35a.m.- greet precious children as they come in for school
8:15a.m.- elementary chapel
8:45a.m.- work on projects (anything a Kindergarten, 1st or 2nd grade teacher ask me to do)
10:45a.m.-set up in the cafeteria for lunch
11:00a.m.- try to manage a bunch of 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th graders while they eat
11:30a.m.- open ketchup packets, juice boxes, lunchables, etc. for K,1st and 2nd. (also wiping noses and chocolate covered faces)
12:00p.m.- answer the phone, take temperatures, wipe tears and put on bandaids in the office
12:30p.m.- eat lunch
1:00p.m.- work on more projects
3:00p.m.- attempt to get 300 children in the right car without being run over
3:45p.m.- go home and take a nap (remember I was pregnant at this point)
5:00p.m.- Brandon gets home from work and I might help him with dinner if I have the energy
7:00p.m.- doze in and out on the couch- waking up to talk to my husband every once in a while
10:30p.m.- Brandon wakes me up off the couch and I get in bed.



August 28, 2008
7:00a.m.- wake up by the sound of my little girl talking in her bed.
7:15a.m.- snuggle in the bed with Claira after Brandon gets her up and changes her diaper
7:30a.m.- take a shower and throw on a t-shirt and shorts (yes, I love not having to dress up)
8:00a.m.- Carter arrives, breakfast time- feeding two small children and myself at the same time
8:30a.m.- load two kids up and go to the children's consignment sale at the fairgrounds
9:45a.m.- get Carter out of the car, go back and get a sleeping Claira and diaper bag
10:00a.m.- play with Carter while Claira takes a nap , fold laundry and clean up after breakfast
11:15a.m.- give Claira a bottle when she wakes up from nap
11:45a.m.- start getting lunch ready, trying not to step on Carter who likes to follow me around
12:05p.m.- Brandon comes home and we all eat lunch (hiding the pizza from Carter while I feed him his veggies first), spray inside of oven so I can clean it during nap time
12:45p.m.- Carter goes down for a nap, talk to mom while Claira plays for a minute
1:00p.m.- Claira goes down for a nap
1:15p.m.- clean the nasty oven (not sure when it was cleaned last), switch laundry
2:00p.m.- talk to a friend on the phone who is also at home with her little girl
2:30p.m.- surf the internet, read blogs, check facebook, etc.
3:00p.m.- both kids get up from nap
3:15p.m.- snack time
3:30p.m.- give Claira a bottle
3:45p.m.- play with the kids on the floor, sing "If you're happy and you know it" more times than I can count
4:45p.m.- turn on baby einstein to relax before Carter goes home
5:10p.m- Brandon comes home, Carter goes home
5:45p.m.- start dinner
6:00p.m.- feed Claira
6:30p.m.- dinner
7:00p.m.- Claira is always cranky in the evening so we give her bath because it makes her happy
7:30p.m.- Claira has her last bottle
8:00p.m.- prayers and tucking Claira in
8:15p.m.- hanging out with my husband until we are too tired to hold our heads up (which sometimes doesn't take very long), pick up and clean bottles
3:00a.m.- wake up to Claira screaming because she is starving, feed and rock her back to sleep

Oh, how life has changed.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Blessed.

I am blessed because I ......

Have a beautiful baby girl who wakes me up each morning with her smile,
An amazing husband who is making sure I can stay at home and take care of our daughter,
Great parents who have taught me that money is not what makes you happy,
In- Laws who raised a young boy into a Godly man and taught him the importance of family,
Sisters and Brothers (in-laws) who love on my child,
Precious niece and nephews that keep life fun,
Life-long friends that I know no matter where we are or how long it's been since we've talked- I can always call,
Most importantly a Father in Heaven who has given me all of the above.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Claira: a brief update.

Claira had a big week.


She found her toes. (It might not seem like a big deal to you, but just imagine if you didn't know those things were attached for three whole months!)



Matthew and Cynthia Montana drove in to meet her. Matthew even let us put her in his lap for a picture (it was a big stretch for him).


And she ate her first bites of rice cereal. Our girl is an eater- it didn't take her very long to figure it out. I think she is so excited to finally feel full. She has been laughing and smiling alot more since we started the cereal.


Life in the Tittle house couldn't get any better. God is so good to us and we try to remember to thank him for all our blessings. Claira turns 4 months old on Thursday. We are thankful for each day we have to spend with her- she is the biggest blessing we could ever receive.



Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Just me and two small children: day 1.

I am staying at home with Claira and not going back to work!!! I am super pumped about being able to be at home. We aren't exactly sure how we are going to make all the money stretch as far as we need it to but, we know God is going to help us make it work.
Amy and Ben are letting me keep Carter while they are at work and I am so thankful for it. Not only do I get to see my nephew every day but they are also paying me to do it.
Today is the first day and I was a little nervous about the thought of having a 3 month old and a 14 month old at the same time. I know Claira can't go anywhere if I lay her on the floor but Carter is walking all over the place. I know lots of moms have two small kids but it is just a new adventure for me. Today has been wonderful. Carter and Claira have both been angels and it just makes me so excited about all the fun we are going to have (especially when Claira gets older and can actually play with Carter).
Carter's favorite thing today is to pat Claira on the head (sometimes you have to remind him not to do it so hard) but, it is so sweet. He wants to know what she is doing and tries to give her toys to play with. Claira took a good nap this morning and Carter and I got to hang out and explore our house. He loves walking up and down our long hall.
Right now, I have two sleeping angels. I can't imagine doing anything better than this.
God is so good.

Friday, August 1, 2008

Claira's crazy beginning.

A recap of Claira's first 17 weeks of life.


Week 1: Being born, coming home, lots of friends and family came to see her.
Week 2: Doctor's apt., Uplift meeting, Nonna stays to help out.
Week 3: Aunt Jessie & Uncle Taran come to visit, shopping in Little Rock and rolling over.
Week 4: 1st Sunday at church, Nonna & Papa go home, Uncle Jordan comes to visit.
Week 5: Baby blessing at church, went to the doctor with thrush and sucked her thumb.
Week 6: One month old, Grammy comes to visit and Cousin Carter's Birthday party.
Week 7: Slept through the night, Grammy went home.
Week 8:First plane ride to Houston, first Astros baseball game, meeting Aunt Kelly, Uncle Tyler and cousins Keynan and Parker.
Week 9: Uplift begins, Nonna & Papa come, spent the afternoon with Aunt Amy.
Week 10: 2 month shots, Grammy comes to visit, Uplift continues.
Week 11: Aunt Melissa, Cousins Ty and Emily come to visit, Uplift continues.
Week 12: 1st time swimming, 1st night away from Mom and Dad, Uplift ends.
Week 13: 1st trip to Atlanta to meet Aunt Melissa, Uncle Jay and Cousin Owen.
Week 14: Dad in Nicaragua, 1st time in the nursery at church, came home from Atlanta.
Week 15: 1st trip to Pensacola to meet Grandma and Gulf Shores to meet the rest of the family.1st time to the beach, ate sand!
Week 16: Spent the week with Nonna & Papa while Mom and Dad went on a cruise.
Week 17: 1st time to Stone Mountain park for family photos, home at last.

Claira has had a crazy and fun beginning- hopefully she won't get to bored just being at home with mom.