Iron Bowl, Christmas & Cookies

This year we decorated for Christmas while we watched the Iron Bowl. Let's just say, it isn't as easy to decorate with an 18 month old, so you can imagine how much of the game I actually watched. We also got to decorate some cookies to start off the season.

She just kept saying 'ooooh' to the Cinderella Ornament that Mimi gave her this year. She's my little Disney girl!

I promise to post tomorrow about her 18 month update. We have our 18 mo. apt at 9 so we will finally know her weight, height, etc.

Thanksgiving

We sure do have lots to be thankful for this year! I can't believe we will have another member of the Lyle family in just a short few months. We made our rounds on Thursday filling our tummies with lots of Turkey, dressing, and apple pie! I am so thankful for our families!

Auburn Homecoming

We had such a great day visiting AU one last time before football season comes to a close. Blakely had such a good day. My entire family stayed together at the lake this weekend. There is something so peaceful about being at the lake on cooler days when there is no activity on the water and leaves have fallen everywhere. Sadly, I didn't get any pictures at the lake, but I did get a few while in Auburn.

It's A.....

BOY!!!!


We are so excited about this! Clint and I can now really start talking BOY names. We decided to not even go there until we knew...and now we know!

Here is a shot of me at 5 months & an ultrasound pic of baby Lyle.

Clint's week off

We have had such a great week with Clint being off work. On Monday we went shopping, Tuesday went to the Georgia Aquarium & Wednesday went to the zoo to pet Blakely's favorite animals. I have really been trying to soak in this precious time with our little one.

There are so many moments where I just want tomorrow to come, especially since I have felt terrible throughout this pregnancy. I have become so aware lately of the brokenness of this world. I continue to hear such terrible situations that families face, yet the ostrich in me wants to close my eyes and ears. I don't even know how to handle hearing of the sufferings people face. My problems seem so trivial in comparison, however I get consumed and obsessed with them. So consumed, I long for each day to be over before it even starts. There is a strange feeling that overwhelms you when you come across those hospital pictures of your now 17 month as a newborn. For the life of me, I can't seem to even remember all the time between then and now.

I'm afraid I am just now learning that in this life it is always going to be something-money is going to come and go, health is not promised for even one day on this earth, and an easy life was definitely never promised. God did promise us He would never leave or forsake us. I just want to remind myself to stop and look around you-soak in the precious memories & thank God for his many wonderful blessings.

Here are some pictures from our adventures so far this week. =)

This was the first stop of ours. Blakely kept saying 'wow' and 'oooh' at all of the fish.

Here we are touching the sting rays. She had SO much fun with this!

My favorite picture.

Loving on the goats with Daddy.

And the pigs...

hehehe! Love him so much I can't even tell you! I wanted to steal him!

17 Months

Although we are now almost 18 months old, I figure better late than never. Blakely has grown so so much this month.

Here are some of the things she is doing this month:

1. She can now tell us when she wants water and not milk. 

2. She can name almost any animal that you point to.  

3. She now calls Kaki and Ali by name. She calls Elle something that sounds more like a grunt.

4. She requests Waffles at every meal, along with yogurt (gogurt)

5. She loves drinking water, especially from my cup.

6. She LOVES smoothies. Seriously, I cannot make one when she is around. She will gulp and gulp until she gets a massive cold headache, stop for about 10 seconds and then go at it again.

7. She loves shoes. I recently caught her putting on my rain boots. A temper tantrum is a common occurrence after she attempts putting any of our shoes on (yes she plays in all of Clint's shoes too) because she cannot walk in them. 

8. She loves telephones-especially our cell phones. She currently has 4 play phones that seem to keep her mildly entertained, but nothing does the job like our working cell phones.

9. She loves to color (uh-ler). Not very good at it yet but will walk around the house yelling 'uh-ler' with crayons in both hands and a coloring book. 

10. She loves the petting zoo and her goat ("gah") friends. 

11. Calls her Bible by name and asks for it at night before she goes to bed.

12. She mimics us in all kinds of ways. If she finds keys she will go to a door and try to 'unlock' it. She turns lotion bottles upside down and pretends to put it on her legs. She brushes her hair with anything that even looks like a brush.

13. She is now eating at the kitchen table like a big girl with her hungry caterpillar placemat and plate.

14. She is starting to entertain her self more. (YAY!)

15. Raffe is practically attached to her hip, along with paci (both sound a lot like 'ba-be'). I tried to take paci away awhile ago, but this pregnancy has been really really hard SO paci is a must these days.

16. She high fives you when you ask.

17. She loves brushing her teeth and taking baths.

18. Loves running water out of the tub. 

19. Loves our watches, bracelets, and necklaces. 

I LOVE YOU SWEET GIRL!