Things I love Thursday!

I totally skipped last week but in my defense I was really busy..first birthday parties are no joke y'all! :)


Anyways getting right into it...I LOVE that I have a one year old! And well I kind of hate it too, I can't believe how fast time flew by but the last few days have been a lot of fun! Not to mention that her personality though always amazing has just skyrocketed! This morning I actually caught myself saying to her "Lily don't make me take that spider away from you!" (it was fake, she was trying to feed it to both herself and the dogs) Oh 1 your gonna be fun! :)

I love this photo and the fact that there is a story behind it..Our little non cake smashing girl who was so dainty about eating this cake and how we did most of the smashing for her! :) Oh and Chezley Royster rocks and I really need to get on it with those other pictures already because they are beautiful and you got it! I LOVE them!


CANDY CIGARETTES

I love these things and thank goodness for my nephew because I can totally make believe they are for him! lol I'm not usually a sweets fan but add this and Fun Dip sticks to my list of MUST haves! Seriously maybe they should just package them together? Genius, I know! ;)








SUMMER BEER!!


Okay so I don't have a picture for this but thanks to the King's I'm hooked! Vodka, lemonade and beer! Who knew that could all up to tasty, refreshing goodness?! Key West drink of choice, CHECK!


                                                            COUGAR TOWN!!

Alright so technically I'm borderline obsessed with this show..I've even gotten Chad to admit that it's pretty funny(and for him pretty funny means good!) I'm so glad that it is back on, because the show they had in it's place was awful! A show about friends, friends who love wine is perfect for me because well I LOVE my friends and I REALLY LOVE wine! :) I wanna grow up and live on a street just like it, anyone know where I can find one? Seriously with quotes like this:

Jules: I put cough syrup in his lemonade and he fell asleep in a hole.
Ellie: You know, out of context, that sounds like a horrible abduction story

                     and this one

Bobby: Steak and champagne.
Laurie: I love me some beef and bubbles. Oh! That should be our secret detective names

What is not to love?! If you haven't checked it out your a loser and I won't be inviting you to my wine parties! :)

                              Speaking of wine...I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new wine glass

I bought this to get myself in the mood for Key West(not that I needed much help)..Hello June where are you again? But I did promise myself that I wouldn't drink out of it until we go but it's calling my name..we'll see how long I can last!

                                       Oh and I of course always LOVE this little face

                                   Those baby blues slay me every time...God I love that kid!!

                  I'll post some of her birthday photos soon and trust me you're going to LOVE them!

The day my life changed...

I was told shortly after the birth of my daughter that I should write down her birth story, so that she could read it when it came time for her to have her own kids...needless to say as a new mom I never found the time, until now anyways...So armed with a glass of wine, some tissues and what's left of my memory, here it goes! :)

I had a great pregnancy! The stuff of dreams really and I realize that some of you may roll your eyes at that one mostly because it seems with all the women I've talked too that it was quite the opposite. I was never sick and well..I really loved being pregnant! Loved my body, loved watching it change, loved knowing that no matter where I was I was never alone(like a built in partner in crime)and well I really loved HER from the get go..pregnancy changed me, but shouldn't it? I mean the second that little stick came back positive I just knew I would never be the same. I guess that should come as no surprise to the ones who really know me, I've always wanted to be a mother and I couldn't have been more blessed with the most amazing child(who came from the most amazing love I've ever known!)  

The last month of my pregnancy as I've said before was a little rough, in the sense that Chad was in New Jersey and I was Winston(long distance is rough for anyone but add in a pregnancy and I mean seriously?!)But 40 weeks to the T, on our estimated due date(April 24th) my water broke! 5:30 in the morning I waddled on over to Bill and Robin's room(thinking I had peed my pants at first) and made the announcement! lol I then called Chad who asked me the best question ever!! " Well what does that mean?" "Um, maybe you should drive home" haha I'll never forget that as long as I live, nor will he live it down!Robin and I got to the hospital at 10:30 per the Doctor's orders because although my water broke I still had no contractions..they ended up putting me on pitocin around 3pm, which worked out perfect because that was the exact time Chad got there..That period of time was kind of a blur because I was so overwhelmed with happiness that Chad was home yet I was also in labor! lol I know this sounds crazy but my contractions weren't that bad, maybe I expected them to be so much worse who knows...either way I asked for the epidural around 9pm which wasn't what I expected..it was such an intense pressure, more so than the contractions..different but SOO worth it!  I remember starving at this point, I remember the nurse who accidentally kicked the cord on the fetal monitor and unplugged it..which was scary because up until that point Lily had been kicking away and Courtney and I just looking at each other like Oh God! I remember that same nurse apologizing so profusely that she broke out in tears..I remember laying on my side and praying, talking to Lily, praying again and thinking to myself that for some one about to give birth I sure was calm! lol I remember the hours ticking away on the clock and being exhausted yet exhilarated..ready..Did I mention starving? haha I remember the Doctor's saying I was the best pusher ever! Can I get a medal for that I wonder? How the only real time I was in pain came when she was pushing through the birth canal and how Courtney told me she thought I would be screaming! I remember throwing up(dang popsicles) and her head popping out..which prompted the Doc to ask if I could do it again..UM NO! haha BTW that is Chad's favorite story to tell..me and grape popsicles!! :) I remember Chad and the beautiful way he supported me, I can't even describe it! Robin who was a life saver! Courtney who made me laugh..my great Doctor Whitley who was amazing..thank goodness my original Doctor couldn't make delivery because she was awesome! BUT most of all I remember 4:30 am when I heard that first cry, saw her face, held her close on my chest..watched as the nurses tended to my girl, kissed Chad both of us in tears, Robin and Courtney and the love on their faces..I remember how overwhelmed I was with love, nothing I'd ever felt..I remember nursing her for the first time as she looked up at me as if to say "I'm here" and just crying because she was so beautiful...I remember hearing them say I was running a fever, being so cold that I couldn't stop shivering, I remember craving chocolate like crazy and requesting a box of O' Charley rolls(Chad, he's awesome and got them asap) I remember them taking her and missing her like something serious..I remember settling down in the room with her and watching my two loves snuggle each other..24 hours later...beyond exhausted but too in love to sleep! I am sure there are some things about my labor that I have forgotten because well..your kind of busy! lol I do know that I had an amazing labor, I had an amazing support team, and I'm so grateful because here I am a year later and I'm still so in love, if not more so with my two Popes..we've come along way since last year and everyday I know just how blessed I am!

I love that she's sneaking a peek...watching over us..because she's definitely our little angel!

It's hard for me to believe that she was ever that little..I will never forget holding her in my arms for the first time and I know Chad won't either..it's just an indescribable feeling and I'm not even sure that I conveyed them in her birth story the way I wanted too...words will never do justice to the way I felt that day, the way I feel everyday just by looking at her...Happy Birthday Lily Anne Pope I love you so much!

Easter Week

Spring cleaning is no joke! I feel like that is all I've been doing since we got to Florida...leave it to my parents to completely renovate their house days before company arrives! lol Oh and don't even get me started on the killer mosquitoes and crazy ants, I feel like I've been eaten alive! OTHER than all that I love Florida! ;)

 I can't believe how busy the month of April has been, but I feel as if it's been that way for everyone.Now we are going on the last week, the final week of my bambino being well just that...a baby! I can't believe how fast time has gone by( I know everyone says it but for real!!!) I'm looking forward to this weekend though, her birthday(although I might cry) seeing family and friends and well celebrating Jesus..after all he's the real reason for the season! And man what a season Spring is huh?!

Just a few photos of our pre-Easter egg hunt at the Koontz's where my girl fell in love with the whole process and I stood in amazement how my little girl was so eager, so excited to be one the big kids...she's a growing up I tell ya!

         
Where are those eggs..hmmm..:)

 Aww..I just love these two!!

                                                    That is my beautiful girl!!

We also had a pre-birthday cake smash..our second one really..but this time girly girl got into it! I tried to warn Chad(who eventually wore it) but secretly I think he loved it...

                                                

We had so much fun that night and it's just another reminder that we have such amazing friends and family...we're just so blessed!!! Speaking of family..I got to see my Nikki today and baby Theo who I swear is 7 months old going on 2!! lol He has just gotten so big!

                                        Seriously the kids in this family are just so stinking beautiful!!

I am so excited to spend the next few months in Tampa..so excited that Lily gets a chance to really interact with her cousins and heck who doesn't love watching babies play together right? I'm also super excited to have date nights again, our vacation in the Keys ahhh June hurry up!!! The beach because man I need a tan! lol I'm super excited to spend Mother's Day with my momma(although I'll totally miss my Robin too) I'm excited to eat brunch with my love at Jackson's(shout out to Chad, your taking me there soon!! haha) and last but not least to see my lovely ladies, I have missed them so much and I can't wait for wine and dine nights! Yay for Florida...now if we could just work on those mosquitoes!!

Things I love Thursdays!

This face:

I can't get over how lucky I am to be her mom how special she makes me feel, how loved, with just one little look! It's a moment between her and I that makes my heart swell..we have them often and I cherish them because I know she's growing up..I see the changes in her, the independence, the bravery, the giant personality that has really come alive in the last month..10 days she turns 1, 10 days..so yeah I want those moments to last forever, to hold that face deep within my heart and never forget it..my baby, my little lady!


-SPONTANEITY-

Life would be so dull without it! Last night we met up with friends for our usual Mexican dinner where I was promptly asked by 3 year old Emery where my shirt was(I was wearing a tank top.) For a moment there I could of sworn my Grandmother was speaking through her..take note: wear a cardigan next time! :) After dinner though is where the real magic happened...an impromptu photo shoot between three cutie pies who love life so much it radiates right outta them!

                                              -Probably the sweetest thing I've ever seen-

                                                             - I just love this photo-

                   -Clearly my doll face is excited about the swing!- lol   

           -But she sure can pose-

-I REALLY love these two!!!! -

And I really love their love for one another...she's a Daddy's girl, or Dey Dee as she calls him and watching them together is such a joy! The words often used by other people to describe Chad's love for Lily is that he's "crazy about her" and I love that because he totally is! Case in point this smile, it was just for him...and you better believe his was even bigger!

I think I might have to make this a regular thing..Things I love Thursdays..because well I love ALOT of things!! ha ha one last shot of the love of my life...

Just kidding! ;) BUT I do love him too!

CAMPING..in the backyard!

Well not literally..about 20 minutes from our house is a beautiful park called Tanglewood, which up until Saturday we had no idea even had a campground! Anyways we took the new wheels there to test everything out, get acquainted with our new home etc...AND had so much fun!!

                                                                -Our campsite-

             -Ever seen the movie RV? Well there is a scene in the movie that I think about all the time now...one part poop, the other part explosion...all parts gross! lol Thank God for Chad because this girl ain't getting nowhere near that! :)

                                                        - Raiding the beer cooler already!-

                        -Someone has figured out how to climb stairs, YIKES! -

                                                   -Pretty lil butterfly on our walk-

                                     -Which clearly Lily is excited for...ha ha-

We stopped at the park..and by stopped I mean we walked three miles from the campsite, which originally seemed like a good idea until we realized just how far it really was! Nonetheless our girl got to do some swinging, and the joy on her face made all that hard work worthwhile!

                                            

We've been all over the place that's not a secret, but sometimes the most beautiful things, beautiful moments happen right outside your own door;this was definitely one of those times!I love camping, I always have..and although this a step up from tent ville it had all the qualities a good camp experience is all about! The mix of lighter fluid and charcoal floating through the air, cold beer,dirty feet, peace and serenity you can only get outdoors, heck even a little rain!! Question what makes bacon and eggs while camping taste so much better than when you do it in the "real world?" All I know is that four adults, one baby, three dogs and lots of laughs = an awesome weekend. 

Oh and p.s you would never know that much traffic was running in and out of the camper because it always felt so open, which is a great thing! I love my new home, and I can't wait to go on more adventures!

An adventure on the horizon...

                                                

The year's at the spring,
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hill-side's dew-pearl'd;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;
God's in His heaven--
All's right with the world!
Robert Browning

                This is her "Your picking me up right, you know I don't like dirt right?" face! :)

 Sweets and I went on a walk with her Daddy yesterday to visit Dr. Kelly's horses, which I'm pretty sure she is convinced are just REALLY big dogs!

                  Those two..well they make my heart melt!

I love taking walks in this weather, when the sun shines and the wind blows all at the same time..it just seems magical! I remember my last month of pregnancy, I took walks everyday to clear my head, stay hormonally balanced( is there such a thing? lol) and sometimes just to cry(come to think of it a few of our neighbors might think I'm crazy.) Chad was working in New Jersey literally up until the last minute and that last month was rough for me..yet being outside, in the fresh air, fresh air that smelled like roses(My mother always told me the random smell of roses in the air means the Blessed Mother is near) made me feel safe, comforted...Now we take walks as a family, the same wind flowing through my hair and  I feel those same emotions. Thankful that the Spring air is back to remind me just how far I've come, to remind me that Spring now means the birth of my child, becoming a mother, the change that took place on April 25th and how grateful I am to take walks as a mother; to just be her mother...

Chad picked up our new house today...that sounds so funny right? I've always said that we have a home, we just don't have a house to put it in...WELL now we do, sorta! :) This means a new life has begun for us, the RV life! It will definitely take some getting used too that's for sure, but I think this really is the right move for us as a family. Staying in hotels has it's advantages but at the same time we want Lily to have some structure, her own space..heck we want our own space! The RV life...I think I might have to say that outloud a few more times before it becomes really REAL...life is so funny isn't it? I joked with Chad the other night that he rescued me from the trailer park and I ended up at the RV park! lol Some women like fancy things, I prefer adventure and I have no doubt in my mind that this will be one!