Our New Best Friend

Please meet Robert.Isn't he cute? He's extremely smart, sweet and imaginative. He has the best manners I have ever seen and is so polite.

He is our new best friend. And he really loves Hannah Cate. And I mean REALLY!

Let me site a few examples, just in case one day in about 25 years we are in need of a good story at their rehearsal dinner.

I think Robert first "noticed" Hannah Cate around Halloween. From that point forward, on occasion, he is known to tell people that he IS Hannah Cate. This was the case at our Fairhope Friends Christmas party. And like any good actor, Robert studied up on his character. He would ask me very specific questions about Hannah Cate's behavior. Our conversations went something like this:
Robert - Does Hannah Cate have teeth?
Me - No.
Robert - Oh, I don't have teeth either.
Robert - How many naps a day does Hannah Cate take? Two or Three?
Me - Usually three.
Robert - Me too, I take three naps too.
Robert - Can Hannah Cate run?
Me - Oh no, not yet.
Robert - I can't run either (as he proceeded to walk away very slowly).

When sending out our Christmas cards, I accidentally stuffed Robert's family's envelope with two cards. How ironic! The extra card became Robert's possession and it took its place amongst his favorite stuffed animals. When it was time to go to bed, he put the card (which he called Hannah Cate) to sleep with his animals.

At church one Sunday, Robert was helping his Daddy hand out the bulletins before the service. When it came down to the last bulletin he refused to hand it out because he "was saving it for Hannah Cate". I'm afraid he was a bit disappointed when we didn't make it that Sunday because we were out of town!

On the night of the Christmas party, it was getting time for Robert to go home. He was telling Hannah Cate goodnight while she was sitting in my lap. She started to slightly whimper (but not really a cry). Robert immediately picked up on the fact that she might be a little sad and quickly said "Why is she crying? She wants to go home with us?".

I love that he loves my child and has taken a special interest in her. I'm sure his adoration for her will fade, but how sweet it has been while it has lasted and it sure has made us laugh!

Bow Head

The sweet ladies at Tiny Town have taught me the trick to keeping a bow in Hannah Cate's hair....at least for a little while!

In case you are wondering, get the alligator clip bows and wrap a clear rubberband around the clip part and it helps to grasp the hair and stick!

Eugene Recap

I started this blog on the last day of our trip (12/14) while we were still in Eugene. The first line said....I wanted to get pictures up now because when we get home it's going to be non-stop work, Christmas parties and traveling until after the New Year. I was right.....here I am two weeks later finally getting around to recapping our trip out West.

We had a great time! Go here to see Emily's recap. She did such a great job, that I won't say much more (but I will include a few of my favorite pics). I will say that it was such a pleasure and a joy to meet little A.J. in person. What a sweet boy he is! He loves his Mommy so much and is quick to let you know it. I think he looks like his Daddy, but if he keeps his red hair I'm sure we will start to see more of the Barnes family in him. As I sat on the bed and held him before we went to sleep on that last night, I just cried knowing that it would be many months before I got to see him again and hold him again. He will be older than Hannah Cate is now when we see him in June. That's far too long! I love him so much and am so thankful that we were able to make the trip!

Getting to know each other

Such a handsome little man!

Poor A.J. couldn't defend himself from the hands of an interested Hannah Cate!

And eventually she figured out how to get that paci out of his mouth!

But don't worry, we made sure he got it back and all was well again!

We took them to visit Santa. I'm sure next year will be much more interesting!

We had lots of little photo shoots on the couch

So many that by the end we got the kind of faces that said "Seriously, aren't you done already?!?!"

We spent lots of time lounging! Things get interesing with two little ones that like to be held!

This must be Hannah Cate's "holiday" photo face. Remember the Halloween pumpkin picture?

A.J. did lots of this.....don't you love those sweet hands!

Sweet babies in matching Christmas PJ's
OK, matching PJ photo shoot officially over......thumb in the eye = not cool!

Don't you just wonder what they are thinking!

Dear A.J.,

Thank you for letting us come visit, we had a great time. We'll come back again in the spring or summer and Uncle Matt will come with us! You are so blessed to have a Mommy and Daddy that love you so much and take such good care of you. You are one loved baby boy. Please don't forget all your family "down South". When you come visit in June, we'll teach you everything you need to know about humidity, sweet tea, grits and that sweet southern drawl. But most of all we'll teach you that there is nothing like some good lovin' from your family! I love you so much and I can't wait to see you again!

Hugs and Kisses,
Aunt Sally

Girl or Boy?

Here's Hannah Cate traveling to Eugene on Monday. Please take note of the amount of pink. Pink pants, jacket, pink monogram on her white onesie under jacket, pink shoes, pink paci and pink paci clip. She's pretty much an explosion of pink!

Now, would you have needed to ask me if my baby was a boy or girl?

I'm sure you are saying of course not. Well, a lady sitting right next to us on the plane did. Either she was totally oblivious to the ridiculous amount of pink on my baby or she thought I was a really cruel Mama dressing my baby boy in all pink!

The Big One-Half!

Happy Six Month Birthday Baby Girl!!

I couldn't let the day pass without at least acknowledging our baby girl and this major milestone. We'll do the letter and growth picture when we get home next week. Well, actually, the letter just didn't happen this month. Between our travels out west, regrouping when we got home and then Christmas, I just flat ran out of time. My goal with these letters is to let you know just how much we love you and what a joy you are, so that one day when you are old enough to understand you can read them and know about our days with during your first year of life. We do love you more and more each day, even when it already feels like we couldn't love you any more.

Hugs and Kisses,

Mama

Leaving on a Jet Plane

I've been singing that song to Hannah Cate over the last week.....with a few word modifications of course, because I do know "when we'll be back again". We left yesterday on a jet plane (three of them actually) for Eugene, OR to visit my sister and brother-in-law and to meet baby AJ for the first time! We are here, safe and sound, and not too traumatized from traveling alone with an infant (that's me at least, you'll have to ask HC if she's traumatized, but based on her good behavior, I think not).

So, to mimic the over-used Mastercard commercial....

Roundtrip ticket, 2 connections, 10 hour travel time.....50,000 Delta skymiles points
Checked bag.......$15
Large plastic bag for car seat protection.......$5
Turkey sandwich and Diet Coke in airport.......$13
People magazine, bottled water and goldfish crackers.....$10
Getting to meet sweet baby AJ for the first time.....priceless!!

We are so glad to be here and I'm so thankful for such a good baby. I'll post more later and some pictures from our trip, but for now, we are soaking in the baby boy and our family time.

Oops!

For some reason I thought that I could hand a naked Hannah Cate over to Matt while I got her bath ready. It wasn't two minutes before he was screaming for me to "come help". This is what I found.......

We won't be trying that again anytime soon! Thanks for taking one for the team, babe!

Deleted Scenes

We started working on the annual Miller family Christmas card picture over the weekend. It made me realize that it was much easier when we were a family of two! Thank goodness for digital cameras!

Life Lately

Long time not blog! So, here's a peek at what we've been doing....

Playing in our doorway jumper and trying to figure out how it works

Putting any and everything in her mouth (except food that is, still not interested in anything thicker than milk)

Getting Krista ready for baby Shands to arrive (next week!)

Hannah Cate is perfecting her hair pulling tactics! I was clipping her toenails the other day and accidentally let my ponytail dangle in her face, she was glad to remind me that she likes to grab onto anything!

We went to Nashville with Jami and Michael to visit Katherine, Brett and baby Hayes. What a cutie!On our way to Nashville we stayed in Birmingham and got to visit with Aunt Janet and Granddaddy! Hannah Cate loves to stand up (assisted of course). I would also like to add that everyone always says that Hannah Cate looks like her Daddy (which is fine with me) but in this picture she looks very much like me (and a touch like her Aunt Emily) when I was a baby!

She's learning what to do with these teething toys! I bought them because it seems that she might have a tooth coming in on the bottom.

We went to Fairhope's annual tree lighting downtown
Hannah Cate was fascinated by all the lights and was wide eyed all night!

We celebrated our nephew Charles' 10th Birthday. He was so sweet with Hannah Cate and she loved him!

Hannah Cate hanging out with Pops

Hannah Cate lounging with Uncle Lee, Charles and B

The whole fam! Happy Birthday Charles!

Hopefully I won't go so long between posts next time....but I won't promise!

5 Months!

Dearest Hannah Cate,

You are five months old today and it's so hard to believe. Part of me wonders where the time has gone and then another part can hardly remember our lives without you. My heart overflows with the love that you have brought into our family. Your Daddy and I often just sit back and stare at you in awe that you are really ours. I wish I could bottle you up so that I will never forget the noises you make, the way you smell, the way you feel in my arms and all the little things you do.

You've started to laugh this month and I can't think of a sweeter sound! You grab at anything and everything within your reach. You still love your paci. Your hair is falling out on the left side of your head because that's your favorite side to sleep on. You know the sight of a bottle coming and immediately open your mouth and kick your legs. We often taunt you with it just to get your reactions. We're still nursing, but it's become increasingly difficult because of your constant curiosity of your surroundings. You like to know what is going on at all times! You have taken to your lovies, especially your pig that Daddy named Theodore for you. You are not really into any food yet. We've tried rice cereal several times without much luck. Applesauce made you shiver and gag. Bananas were okay but most of it ended up on your shirt. Sweet potatoes not so great either. So, we've given up for awhile. You'll eat when you are ready. You roll over at will now, front to back and back to front. You are spitting up a storm, pursing your lips and spitting....it makes us laugh so hard, but I'm really afraid that there might be a tooth coming to blame! You are sleeping a consistent nine hours at night and taking 3 good naps during the day. You really are such a good baby. So content with life and with such a sweet disposition.

Just this month I can tell that you know who we are and each time you glace at me and smile, simply at the sight of me, it melts my heart. I've never felt such unconditional love. I've known it exists between me and the Father, but never felt it in such a tangible way. You point me to Him in so many ways.

I've been searching for a verse that I can claim for you. That I can memorize just for you and share with you often. I found it last week and now that it's in my head I'll be saying it to you for as long as I live. My prayer is that you will come to know this truth in your life, that you will cling to it all the days of your life.

Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is with you; He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

I love you precious baby girl!
Mama
Click here for pictures from our entire month

A Sweet Baby Boy

I'm an Aunt! My sister's baby, Aiden James Hokanson, was born on October 30th in Eugene, OR at 9 lbs 1 oz and 22 inches. A precious miracle that we are so thankful for. I can't wait to get my hands on him when we go for a visit in December! Welcome to the world A.J. We already love you so much!

1st Halloween

We started the night as a flower......


And ended as a pumpkin.....

Along the way we saw a shark, a cowboy, a lion and a pirate....

We even ran into Obama and Sarah Palin!

Hannah Cate enjoyed her first Halloween. I suppose next year she'll expect to have some candy instead of a bottle!

**A special thanks to Martha Anne & Lucy for the flower costume and B & Pops for the pumpkin jammies!