A Disney Christmas

So much has happened since my last post. We had the most amazing Christmas ever with our wee one! We spent 3 days at Disney world and it was absolutely wonderful. The crowds, never ending lines, screaming children and hotter than usual weather didn't seem to matter at a time like this. I was introducing my daughter to my favorite place in the whole wide world, and she loved every minute. We had a pretty successful trip, only two meltdowns the whole time we were there, and they were both at the end of a very long day. She loved all of the lights and Christmas songs and Disney characters. She just stared in awe of everything, so much to look at and hear! I had tears streaming down my face many times during our stay. I just loved Disney as a child and still do as an adult. So to see my daughter take it all in for the very first time, it touched my heart so.

In Front of The Great Tree at Epcot

Mommy and her sweet girl

The Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights at Hollywood Studios

Santa Goofy at Animal Kingdom

Her first glance at the castle at Magic Kingdom

Bliss=This

This on Pandora:

Courtesy of Wikipedia

This on the grill:

Pic courtesy of Pinterest

This on the tube:

Pic courtesy of Amazon

This next to me:

This in my firepit:

A night under the stars with my girl and my boy:

Teaching my sweet babe to bake for the first time:

And this, shared with my lovie, once Sweet-Pea is asleep in her "nest":

This "little bundle" has taught us so much about appreciating the little things in life. It passes by so quickly. We now take time to stop and smell the roses, stare gawkingly at the little ladybug on the flower, point out every star in the sky, lie on our backs and look at the clouds, snuggle each day with a Peanut between us, stare at eachother as we hold our wee one, savor quiet time, not care so much about what we wear or where we go or what we buy. Yes, it's the little things that mean the most.

It's Your 3:30am Wake Up Call!

I am not sure who told my daughter that playtime is at 3:30am, but I can't say that at first I was super duper excited about it. Boy have my feelings changed. For the past few weeks, my little night owl, has been just that, a night owl. She doesn't want to go to sleep until 10:30 at night and she wakes up, occasionally, around 3:30am. I think she is wondering what we are up to and hates to be in her crib by herself. "Is the circus in town? Did Santa come yet? Are they eating shortbread cookies? What's goin' on here?"

When she wakes up, she has got to be the sweetest, most cheerful baby around. She cackles and giggles and laughs, louder and louder until finally I have to go in and see what all the fun is about. "Hey darlin." When she hears my voice, she snaps her head around and bam. There it is... The sweetest most wonderful smile known to mankind. I melt. Instantly. This never gets old folks. I would trade a million blissful, well rested nights for one more night like this. Once I drag my tired self into her room, I never want our time to end. But I know she needs her rest, as do I. So after about an hour of play and a little bit of "udder-time", as we call it, I sadly place her back in her "nest" for a few more hours of thumb-sucking sleep (yes we already have a thumb sucker).

I hate to think that someday soon, these nights of sweet, cheerful play will end. And she will once again sleep through the night and be ready to do more grown-up things than to play with mommy. I sometimes find myself tearing up when I feed her, so innocent, so peaceful, so content. (whew, actually crying now) She depends on her daddy and I for her every need these days, and we feel so honored and needed and loved. Just the grasp of her tiny hand around our finger sends us over the moon. It's the touch you never knew you needed, but now you never want it to end.

My heart is so full. I have never known a love like this before. I believe it's the closest thing to the love our heavenly Father has for us. And for this glimpse into his perfect and endless love, I am forever greatful, forever changed and forever in awe. Your daddy and I love you with all of our hearts, sweet baby girl.

Gettin Ready for Santa!

So have you heard of Pinterest? If you haven't, you must have been living under a log for the last 6 months. This site is awesome!!!! It is great for us crafty people who love to make things, but really don't have alot of "green" to work with, if you know what I mean. I was so tired of "Favoriting" all of my favorite blogs and websites and having to go back into them to figure out what the hey I liked so much about them. So Pinterest is the answer!

When our baby"Owl" is sleeping in her nest, Mamma Owl gets to Pin away and get to craftin! I have made countless things for Christmas this year for next to nothing by using this site. All I have to say is, "Thank you Pinterest creator! Thank you!!!"

Here is a sneaky peek at some of the things I have made this season!

Tree skirt from an old table cloth and a burlap runner, with, you guessed it, a handmade burlap owl :)

 A berry garland from $0.69 berry sticks at Michaels

 Burlap covered vases holding the remnants of our Christmas tree

 An amazing free printable from the movie"Elf"

 Yarn covered wine bottles holding wintery twigs, a red bowl holding freshly fallen pinecones and a chalkboard made from an old disgarded picture frame and homemade chalkboard paint

I used burlap ribbon from Michaels on my tree thanks to the suggestion of a Pinner

 Ok, I know I didn't make this, but I couldn't resist! Found this owl hat thanks to a fellow Pinner who pinned an adorable etsy store!
My little Blue-Eyed Owl :)

An ENORMOUS homemade no-sew tutu! I've made 5 of these now :)

Ok, so that's just a sampling of what I've made in my spare time. So much other stuff including awesome recipes, Christmas gifts, etc., I'd show ya' but I haven't the time. Somebody just woke up from her long nap and is SUPER hungry :) Toodles!

3 Months Old!

Happy 3 Months my Baby Bee! This month (actually this morning) you graduated to size 2 diapers, you started "talking" like crazy (especially to Mickey Mouse on MMC), you sit in your Bumbo seat very well for about 5 minutes at a time, you are lifting your head up off the floor like a pro during tummy time, you are now sleeping about 9 hours straight at night, you take one very long nap in the afternoon, you still LOVE bath time, you are very close to rolling over, you had your first Thanksgiving (3 actually), you picked out your first Christmas tree and hung your first ornament, you found your hands and you giggle and cackle like there's no tomorrow. We love you so much Princess :)

Two Months Old!

This month you graduated to size 1 diapers, you started "tracking" us with your eyes, you smile all the time now, you love your bath time, you've been sleeping for 11 hours straight at night for a week now (praise the Lord), you take 2 long naps during the day, you've had a few more nights being watched by your Nana and Gigi, you dressed as Minnie Mouse for Halloween, and you had your first cooing session in your crib. You continue to steal our heart everyday, we love you baby girl.

One Month Old!

Happy One Month Baby Bee :) In the last month you went through 3 BOXES of newborn diapers, you smiled for the first time, you kicked and waved your arms constantly, you looked at us and recognized our voice for the first time, you took your first bottle, you hate pacifiers, you had your first night alone with Nana and Papa and Gigi too, you met almost all of your family and you started to sleep for 6 1/2 hours straight. We love you so much our little baby doll.

Baby Bee Turned Baby Owl

by Rachael Nicole Photography

So I've started blogs in the past only to let them get lost in cyberspace, untouched by my hands for months and months and eventually die out. But this blog I am determined to keep up with. This one is dedicated to my beautiful baby girl. She was born this Fall and just turned 3 months old today! My husband and I could not be more proud of her. She is quite advanced for a 3 month old, at least we like to think so ;)

by Rachael Nicole Photograpy

I had a wonderful pregnancy. It was long, but it was wonderful. No sickness (praise the Lord) and no real complications. Just a little speed bump at the end, but that was fine. She was a very active baby in the womb, so much so I couldn't fall asleep til 2am most nights because she was still buzzin around. So in the womb, she was my Baby Bee :) Amidst all the Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream, Blueberry Morning Cereal, Granny Smith Apple, Sonny's Turkey Sandwich cravings, I also had many beautiful memories such as her first kick, her first hiccup (which she had a LOT of), her first ultrasound, etc. etc. It all went by so quickly, as time does, but it was brief, it was beautiful and I was so very blessed.

by Rachael Nicole Photography

Her birth was quite the event... She was a week past due (41 weeks) and needless to say I was becoming a tad impatient. I was put on bedrest due to high blood pressure the last 3 weeks of my pregnancy which made the waiting game all the more intense. We ended up being induced the week after my due date and 16 1/2 hours later, we had a precious baby girl. It was really intense labor, I hate that dang Pitocin! But we made it and ended up with the greatest blessing we could have everasked for. Our precious Bee :) We even had a great family friend of ours in the room with us to photograph the birth, so we got some really neat shots to cherish for a lifetime.

by Rachael Nicole Photography

So now, 3 months later, I have all these memories and happenings going on and no time to scrapbook or write in a journal, so I have decided to document the milestones with a blog post that she can read when she's a little older, if she's really bored and has the time. For now, I want to remember every little piece of the pie for myself, since it all goes by so very quickly. I can't believe my baby is already 3 months old... sigh. Before we know it she will be 16 and driving, 18 and graduating, 21 and have found the love of her life and then 25, and I will be by her side, as my Momma was with me, when she has a baby girl of her own.

by Rachael Nicole Photography

I call her my baby blue eyed owl, since 1.) I am obsessed with owls (her nursery is covered in them) and 2.) she has the most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen. Hence the name of the blog. I hope you all enjoy the journey. Going to catch you up on the last 3 months briefly in the next few posts. Ciao!