April.

We're 1/4 of the way through 2017 already. They say with parenting the days go by slowly but the years go by fast and so far in my parenting journey that is so very true. It has hit me like a rock that my sweetheart is going to kindergarten later this year as her time in preschool is coming to a close.

It was hard for me to trust someone else with her. It was hard letting go for the first time. All those feelings are coming back up all over again. A new school, teacher, staff, class... everything. I guess I never really expected to feel this way. When she was a baby and we were blindly stumbling through the newborn days I fantasized of this day. (#mommyconfession) I couldn't wait for the day that I could drop her off at school and have my life to myself again. Or at least for those hours she was gone. Maybe once I get to know the staff at her new school I'll feel more comfortable but it is so scary to trust complete strangers to care for your kid. To love them. To treat them with respect. To help them. To show them kindness and patience. To protect them. To pay attention while so many things are going on around them. It's a lot to ask. And it's exactly why I have stayed home with my kids for the last five years instead of being a two income family.

So, it's April. We're one month closer to the end of the school year. We're one month away from our six year wedding anniversary. We're a month closer to Molly's 3rd birthday. And this month we've got a little guy hitting the HALF year mark (blog to come soon on that).

And now since it's Friday, I'm gonna share a few of my end-of-the-week MVPs!

For the first one, let's start off with a little backstory... TEN whole years ago I was 19 and had just moved back to Memphis from Illinois. I went to a group interview at Build-A-Bear Workshop and somehow tricked them into hiring me by the end of it! From that job I learned so many great things from my bosses at the time about work ethic and kindness. I am forever grateful for my experiences there and for the good memories... it was incredible to work for such a wonderful company and to work with some really compassionate people. One of my FAVORITE things I picked up from my time there (besides the phrase "if you have time to lean then you have time to clean!") I learned from my boss, Paula. Our store was part of an outdoor mall and across the parking lot was a Barnes & Noble with a Starbucks inside. A couple times she had me grab her her favorite drink - a black tea lemonade - from there and after a couple times I decided to try it myself. At first I thought it was disgusting until Paula told me you could also get it sweetened. So thank you Paula - you are one of my MVPs for introducing me to the drink I have been in love with for the last ten years! My favorite thing to do is to go to either Target or Kroger and order a trenta black tea lemonade with light ice & half 3 pumps of classic syrup and sip my drink while I shop! (Especially if the kids are along.) Then I'll stop on my way out to get a free refill thanks to my Starbucks Gold Card! #BTLFTW!

A few years ago we moved back to Memphis from Illinois... again for me... and this time we were looking for a new dentist. I reached out to my Facebook friends for their referrals and among them a friend of mine was super enthusiastic about the staff at Schilling Farms Dental. They accepted our dental insurance, sounded super great on the phone, and had openings for us relatively soon so we decided to give them a try. And I'm SO GLAD we did because we just love them. They're thorough gentle, and caring with us and our kiddos. Not only that - but our dentist is a Disney fan who loves being a dad to his three daughters - so he is someone I can relate to on a personal level. Recently a super sweet friend of mine was similarly looking for a new dentist and decided to give them a try. And just like us they had a great experience! It feels good to give friends a good place to go and to give our dental office the business they definitely deserve. So, Kaela, thank you so much for sending us to them! You da real MVP!!!

Kaela, her cousin Kelsi, & myself WAY back when I first met them!

And my last end-of-the-week MVP goes to the Memphis Zoo! We are so grateful to be members at such a nice zoo but the reason they made it into my blog is because they're totally having a baby boom there right now and I love it! In the last few weeks they've had a giraffe birth and also a hippo birth. I feel lucky to see these little animals in person but for my kids to experience that is pretty incredible as well. Now if they could just have a baby rhino addition to our zoo and on display then I would be in heaven!!!

We haven't seen the new baby on exhibit yet but we love seeing the adult hippos

Hope everyone had a great week and has something wonderful to look forward to in the weekend!!!

Baby 3.0: 39 Weeks ...& 3 days

*Caution* Just in case you don't want to hear about cervixes dilating or any other details of that nature, go ahead and just stop reading to be on the safe side. You've been warned.  But if you've ever read a pregnancy book in your life or learned the biology of pregnancy, I'm sure you won't hear anything you haven't heard before.

39 weeks pregnant with Crosby!

So, let me start out by saying I've never been this pregnant before! I had Presley at 39 weeks & 1 day and seeing as I had her at 6am and was in labor for a few days prior to her birth - I didn't experience much pregnancy past the end of week 38. With Molly I was set to be induced 11 days early and ended up having mild, regular contractions all day prior to induction. I got to the hospital and they administered the cervidil and by that point my body was already rocking & rolling & I had Molly about 10 hours later! I remember towards the end of my pregnancy with Molly I was feeling pretty miserable and I'm sure the gestational diabetes had something to do with it. 

This time around I am still feeling pretty wonderful (all things considered) and I'm shocked to have really NO signs of labor! Last week at the weekly appointment my doctor checked my cervix and I was about 2cm dilated, 50% effaced, and baby seemed to be head down in good position. That was excellent news and even though I know better... I definitely got my hopes up! Even though I was still pregnant at 38w4d at this point, I thought FOR SURE there was no way I'd make it to my next doctor's appointment still pregnant... which is.... tomorrow. Bummer. Another funny thing? Tony guessed our previous two children's birthdays on.the.nose both times so this is the first time that hasn't happened! (His guess was September 25th which has so clearly come and gone.) Now we wait to find out if Cros will be a September or October baby!

I've been drinking raspberry leaf tea like CRAZY for the last week (thanks Aida!) and hoping with each passing day that I'll wake up to contractions... but lo and behold there has been a whole lot of nothing going on.

Baby's size: According to my favorite pregnancy app, baby is the size of a small pumpkin this week... which is so perfect because we've just started decorating our house with a few Fall/Halloween decorations here and there! He's also likely to be anywhere from 19-21 inches tall and  7-8 pounds.

39 week's pregnant at 24 years of age carrying Presley vs. 39 weeks pregnant at 28 years of age carrying Crosby

Cravings: Cheeseburgers!!! There were two nights in a row this week that I ate a big, juicy burger for dinner and it was so fantastic. Carrots & ranch have been my jam lately. Oh and speaking of jam... PB&J sandwiches have been a craving this last week! Tony and I had Pyro's for the first time last week and ever since then I have been craving their BBQ pizza... still craving it...

High of the week: I loved having one on one time with Tony after my appointment last week. We had a day date and got lunch together at Pyro's. It's so, so wonderful to just have that time with him... especially amidst all the changes and the huge life change soon to come. He is still my best friend and spending time with just him will always be something I love, enjoy, crave, and will never get tired of!  And thank goodness for Grandmommy for watching my sweet babies while I visit the doctor on my own and have grown-up time for lunch, too! Tony and I love and adore our kids but it is so nice to take a breather just the two of us every now and again.

Presley took this photo of us on her own and I just LOVE it.

There were several really happy moments this week: the girls & I took a trip to the Memphis Zoo that  ended up being so much fun thanks to a really active & friendly hippo, we had a great time at Everett's 2nd birthday party, and Tony's brother Sean is in town visiting for a while and it was so good seeing him again and knowing he's not far!!!

It was 94 degrees outside while we were at the zoo but thankfully there were fans with mist coming out of them right here to cool us down!

Definitely one of the best zoo animal interactions, ever.

Happy birthday, Everett!

This is Marsha & I - she's about 15 weeks pregnant and is married to one of Tony's good friends, Tyler. Seems like not that long ago Kristen & I took a photo like this when she was pregnant with Everett and I was pregnant with Molly!!!

The gang is all here! That's Selena, Tony & Presley, Sean, Me, Molly, & Mike - all the Duggans!

Low of the week: Making eggplant parmesan from scratch - using tons of good groceries, time, and effort for this one meal... having it smell and look amazing but then the eggplant just not tasting great to you! BUMMER!!!! I know it seems silly but thankfully that was the lowest for the week! {Side note: I followed the Scalinis Restaurant recipe perfectly... it is known for putting very pregnant women into labor within 48 hours of eating it. I had it for dinner Monday night around 8pm or so... so we're over 24 hours into the countdown and no sign of Crosby yet!}

What I'm excited about: I'm really, really looking forward to my doctor's appointment tomorrow afternoon. Like... I just can't wait. I'm absolutely going to talk about the possibilities of induction and what exactly the game plan will be if I don't go into labor anytime soon. My doctor is a natural kinda guy and pretty darn laid back so it will be antsy me wanting to go ahead and get things going more than him, I'm sure. Either way it will just be nice to have the conversation, to see if my doctor sets an expiration date for me, and to see if my body is any more progressed than last week!

That's it, everybody! Hopefully the next pregnancy update will include a picture of Crosby!!!!! (Everyone cross your fingers!)

Baby 3.0: 34 Weeks + So Long Summer!

34 weeks pregnant and 6 weeks to go until we meet our little man

I'm feeling: Lots of things. Lately I've actually started to feel excited about this being my last pregnancy. I'm looking forward to ditching maternity clothes forever - eventually. I'm glad that once I'm done carrying Crosby that hopefully I'll never see these numbers on the scale again. I'm ready to have my body back to myself for every single one of the perks. Obviously I plan to have a long breastfeeding journey ahead of me so my body won't really be completely mine BUT it'll be a heck of a lot closer. I'm starting to feel more sweet than bitter about this being the end of my bringing children into the world.

I'm still feeling very weird and conflicted about sending Presley to pre-k a couple days a week. (Mostly weepy.) Yet, I'm looking forward to the opportunities for her... I truly am. How is it that just over two years ago she was sitting on my last pregnant belly with me in a little diaper? And now she's ready to start her first school experience. The time has absolutely flown by right past me. I love her and I love getting to know her... I love who she is and who she has become. I love the progress we've made together and the lessons we've both learned along the way. I love her at this age and wouldn't wish to go backwards - but I don't know when I'll be ready for her to be so independent. I suppose the time for me to feel this way is right around the corner and since I'm not there yet nor have I ever been there on my parenting journey thus far I just can't comprehend what that's gonna feel like. With that said, I'm looking forward to meeting her teachers this week and seeing her classroom and a glimpse into all the things that will become part of her new routine later this week. I'm ready to get the ball rolling instead of sitting here in anticipation.

I love our lazy mornings and while we'll still have many more days like this as her program is only two days a week, I know these days are numbered.

Cravings: Cheesy potatoes! They're just so delicious. So if you're heading to our co-ed baby shower this weekend then you'll get a taste of them because I'll be bringing a big batch! I've really been liking the chicken Philly sandwich from Lenny's lately. Other than that, there's nothing specific or repetitive that comes to mind.

Baby's size: Somewhere around 18 inches and 5 pounds! Mostly from here on out it's just putting on baby fat - most of the big developments are already done.

{L to R} 34 weeks pregnant with Presley, Molly, & Crosby

High of the week: Tony having two days off in a row - finally. We met Papa and Grandmommy on Sunday to celebrate Papa's birthday a little early. We had lunch downtown and went to the Bass Pro Pyramid which was all a lot of fun. Then on Monday the four of us went to the zoo. It was a TON of walking but it really was all worth it seeing how much fun the girls had splashing in the water!

Cooling off at the end of our zoo trip in the water 

Getting very sweaty playing on the playground at the zoo

Grandmommy & Papa walking into the Pyramid with the girls 

She cracks me up! 

Low of the week: Probably when Molly slipped and smacked her head into the wall on Friday. She slammed it right into the corner of the outlet and it sounded awful. Couple that with her cries afterward and it just becomes more than I ever like to bear. I hate, hate, hate when my kids are hurting. I also hate that with head injuries you just can never be too sure right away if everything is okay or not.

Just after it happened

But as you can see she doesn't let it get her down

What I'm excited for: I'm so so super excited for our baby shower this weekend! I love celebrating the baby that is about to come into this world. I love getting together with friends and family - especially when it's for happy occasions. I'm also getting SUPER excited for the Fall. I know we don't get much of a true Autumn here in the Midsouth, but I do love what we get. I love that the pumpkin-flavored-everything things are starting to show up on the shelves in the stores!!! I've liked the heat the summer has provided but I'm looking forward to a little less heat and a little more breezes. I'm excited that we've got six weeks (hopefully less!) before we lay our eyes on Crosby and become a family of FIVE!

That's it for this week! It's hard to believe the summer really is wrapping up but the show must go on and there are plenty of things to look forward to!!! 

Spare Thoughts.

It's insane the amount of scrutiny out there regarding the child that fell into the primate exhibit. I've read where people said the mother sounds way too calm. But can you imagine what they'd say if she sounded hysterical? "Well geez, that mom really should have kept it together - what a wreck! She should have put her child first and kept her emotions in check so as not to upset her 4-year-old or the gorilla." And of course people are quick to throw in their judgment on how she could ever allow her child to get in there in the first place. "What kind of mom would allow this to happen?" But unless you've constantly got your kids in a carrier, stroller, leash, or restraint of some kind, aren't you expecting a little bit too much of the mother and especially of the preschool aged child? Kids learn (at that age especially) through exploring their surroundings. And we all know accidents just happen... usually quicker than we have time to control. Oh, and can you imagine the comments this mother would have faced had she had her child on a leash? "How tacky and awful to put your human child in a restraint like that!" Parents are condemned for being too laid back and they're condemned for being too uptight. We label each other which alienates us further from others.

After encountering such harsh reactions to this situation has caused me to take a step back and wonder why we're all the way we are... WHY are we so quick to judge each other? And why are we so cutting with our words? Why can't we find ways to start a conversation with others without gossiping, judging, and vitriolic comments?

It's just hard spending time around negativity. It's draining. It doesn't propel things forward. It's not constructive. We're not perfect people but we've got to grow and try our best to encourage each other. Are we going to like and agree with everyone? Absolutely not. Are we all meant to be friends? Nope. But doesn't it feel so much better to lead with respect, compassion, and understanding in order to learn where people are coming from? The good stuff runs a whole lot deeper than all the junk, anyways.

Baby 3.0: 18 Weeks + Placenta Banking

We've made it to the 18 week mark already. I'm still not feeling that-was-without-a-doubt-a-kick movements yet and yes, that makes me a bit nervous. I've heard two schools of thought: one, since you've had multiple pregnancies that you should feel kicks sooner since you know how to recognize them or two, you might end up feeling/recognizing kicks later in the pregnancy seeing as you're busier with two kids unlike your previous pregnancies. I'm going with the second! Plus, I looked to see how I was around this time in my second pregnancy and read I hadn't felt any kicks yet and I was worried back then, too. Even still, I'll probably end up calling my doctor's office for some reassurance on Monday.

As far as cravings/aversions go, coffee has really disgusted me lately. Normally I look forward to coffee every morning so this is a bit sad for me. Any craving I've had so far hasn't been very healthy - Taco Bell soft tacos, hot Cheetos, a big juicy burger... oh and there was also raspberries! I'm also craving a solo vacation full of sleep, reading books, and laying in the sun. Still working on that...

We've got under two weeks until we find out this baby's gender and I can hardly wait! We've finally been working on some names and I'm coming up with some real contenders thanks to some wonderful Facebook friends! For the first time ever our boy name list is looking better than the girl options. I know I will be overjoyed either way!!!

Not exactly my best angle, but it'll do.

I figured if I waited to write a post until we got a normal/decent picture of my belly then it might accidentally be a couple more weeks before another update. So I'm improvising and using a photo from our trip to the Memphis Zoo from earlier today. Now, there is something else I'd like you to know if you didn't already...

Placentas are amazing. (How's that for a segue?)

While in the womb, your placenta is the link between you and your baby. It's your baby's lifeline. Again ladies and gentlemen, a woman's placenta is an incredible, AMAZING organ! And most of us think little to nothing of the placenta throughout our pregnancies or after our deliveries, mostly because it's a temporary organ that our body expels when it's purpose has been completely served. But we are finding out more and more benefits from paying a bit more attention to this beautiful organ. And I love that! For example, studies have shown that waiting a few minutes to clamp and/or cut your baby's umbilical cord allows more iron-rich blood from the placenta to reach your newborn baby.

After I had Presley I thought nothing of my placenta until months afterward. I started to hear more and more of power behind this organ and I wondered, what did mine look like? Was it healthy? How did it compare to other placentas? Might seem silly but it's something I did wonder about. When it was time to bring Molly into the world I asked Tony if he would take a photo of my placenta afterwards - but this was as far as my interaction with my placenta went. And yes, I am fully aware that I'm weird. But I'm pretty awesome, too!

Thanks to lots of celebrity moms bringing this to light, many of us are now familiar with placental encapsulation... or really, consuming your placenta. Sounds insane, right? But when it can increase your milk supply, chase away the baby blues, help heal your body, aid in regaining energy, and reduce bleeding - most moms wonder where can I sign up?! I'm absolutely considering encapsulating my placenta after this delivery.

What you probably haven't heard much about is placenta banking. The blood left inside your placenta is full of stem cells that may help heal damaged tissue or organs. The same applies to the blood found within your umbilical cord. LifeBankUSA offers both placenta banking as well as cord blood banking. The stem cells found in both the placenta & cord can be used to treat at least 80 differnt diseases (including leukemia and lymphoma). Stem cell transplants work by replacing other cells in the body that have been destroyed or have stopped working properly. The first cord blood stem cell transplant happened nearly 30 years ago in Paris. (Side note: How is it that it's been 28 years since 1988?) The transplant took place on a boy who was only five years old with a severe, rare type of anemia and it was a success! This little boy is now a healthy adult thanks to advanced medicine. There are ongoing clinical trials to study how stem cells may help treat a wide range of diseases including stroke, cerebral palsy, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, heart disease, and spinal cord injury.

With this type of banking, you only have one chance at collecting and storing these stem cells from your umbilical cord and/or placenta so it is important to be prepared. You can call and learn more at 1-877-543-3226 or visit LifeBankUSA to request a free guidebook. Banking with LifeBankUSA can cost as low as about $53 per month, though this does not include the annual storage fee - which applies after the first year.

If you haven't already, give placenta banking and cord blood banking a moment of your time. I've got two great reasons to consider it and a third one on the way!

Read more on The Power of Placenta Blood Banking with LifeBankUSA.
You can also visit them on Twitter @LifeBankU.

I was compensated for writing and sharing this post. 

I have shared my thoughts and my authentic thoughts alone. 

The facts I shared are true to the best of my knowledge.

Currently x22 {link up}

Participating with Kale + Beans to tell everybody what we're up to lately.

The prompts this week are {reading, watching, listening, eating, enjoying}

So for the last several weeks I've been rereading the Twilight books. I am a serial reader... I read the same books over and over and over and I love it. I get something different out of each time I read a book because usually my life is different than it was the last time I read it. Therefore I'm looking at the book through a whole different lens than any time before. Anyways, I flew through the first several books but for some odd reason I have been reading the last one sooo slow... mostly because I'm just so tired at night that I'll fall asleep sitting up reading! It's kinda killing me because I want to rewatch the movies so much but I'm waiting until I finish all the books. No plans on what to read next... suggestions are always welcome.

Presley keeps requesting we watch the Wizard of Oz over and over. She's been interested in tornadoes for quite some time (thank you Marco Polo Weather app) and ever since we watched the movie, she is extremely enamored. We watched videos online of real tornadoes and even a firenado (her favorite)!

Ever since going to the DMB concert last month, I've had Dave on repeat. Just can't get enough of his voice... it's seriously like butter. Plus they have put out SO much music that I don't ever get sick of the same few songs. So, yeah, I'll be listening to them until the next time we see them in concert.

And lately we've been having much too much food out. Especially Chipotle. Oh my yum. That place is so delicious and fresh and five minutes from our house. Five Guys is another of our favorites and that is one of the best burgers I've ever had. Hopefully we'll start eating better and more at home but I've just been so zapped for energy lately! I swear. I don't know what it is. Plus it's hard for me to do very much cooking until he gets home... which is late... so we just eat out most of the time...

The couple weeks of May and first week or so in June are so exiciting and fun that it is ALMOST too much celebrating. Almost. May 20th is our anniversary, May 29 is my brother-in-law's birthday, May 31 is my mother-in-law's birthday, June 3 is Tony's birthday, and June 7th is one of our best friend's birthday as well as my dad's birthday. Not to mention we've got Father's Day coming up, too! So I've really been enjoying all the extra time with family & friends lately.

In other news...

We've just checked out Whole Foods for the first time and while it was a little bit intimidating at first - I am in love with that place! We went back today for some fresh beignets - which was another first for us - and a nice little brunch spread of chicken salad & fresh croissants, mozzarella pasta salad, & some cheddar chive biscuits. Yum yum yum! That place is full of positive vibes and genuinely nice people that it is easy to get sucked into it all.

Quite a bit more powdered sugar than expected... but delicious.

Sorry Mol... no beignets for you!

Afterwards Presley asked to do something fun instead of going home so we headed to the Memphis Zoo which was hotter than you wouldn't believe! (Of course, because we went at the hottest time of the day.) Every time we go to the zoo Presley asks to go swimming in the water/pool area and it's never happened yet for her so today I surprised her with a "YES!" and she was ecstatic! Not only that, but I rolled up my pants and joined her and we both had so much fun. Getting in the cold water was an instant mood lifter. Tony held Molly in the shallow water and they were both laughing and smiling with us, too.

Perfect Sunday morning & afternoon. Not looking forward to the next few days without Tony while he's away on business... so looks like we will have to find something fun to keep us busy!

Molly: 11 months

Here we are! A short few weeks away from no longer having an infant in the house... BITTERSWEET!!!

Tooth count: Eight... four up and four down.

Favorites: She love love loves green beans right now. And pouches! (Baby food in the little squeeze pouches.) The way she downs those things you would assume we never feed her!!! And aside from baby food & table food it's still all breastmilk and water.

Mol Mol loves to wear hats! And she does really well at keeping bows on most of the time, too. Oh and she loves to see herself on my phone!!

Milestones & stuff: She is pulling/pushing herself up into an almost standing position lately. You can tell she really wants to walk but isn't quite ready yet.

She's also sitting up... but unconventionally. She sits in a "W" position... which we are trying to correct but it's really difficult when that's all she wants to do!

"W" sitter

Molly falls over and bumps her head DAILY. I do not remember this happening so much with Presley. If you know me (as a parent) then you might know I HATE to see my kids hurt. So I'm learning to tolerate it better or not freak out as much when it happens. Another time when I literally thank God for breastfeeding... boobs solve everything!

She's getting really good at clapping. Whenever we say, "Yaaay!" over something, she will join in and clap!

Molly is a little growler and it will never get old to me! So so cute.


Still fits into size 3 diapers but we have a couple boxes of size 4 so that's what she's been wearing lately. Also still fits into most of her 9 month clothes but we've mostly got her in 12 month clothes.

Oh and as if I really have to say it, but Molly adores Presley. And the feeling is completely mutual. They're so good to each other. Presley is protective of Molly... Molly was chewing on a spare outlet cover we have and since Presley associates the little covers with outlets, she said, "Molly! No ma'am! That's dangerous!" It makes me so happy that Presley looks out for her and cares about her wellbeing! And Presley is so proud of Mol. If we're out and about and someone starts talking to Presley, Presley will tell them, "Yeah... and this is my sister, Molly." :) When we go up to work to visit Tony she will remind him, "Kiss Molly, too" before we leave. She's just hilarious and such a sweet girl. I hope Molly knows how special and loved she is and likewise that she has a very special big sister.

Molly had the first taste of a doughnut the other day. It was a plain cake doughnut so we're taking little baby steps... but she liked it. I don't like my kids to have very many sweets - but everybody deserves a treat in moderation. I just really don't want my kids to want nothing but sugar when there are healthy alternatives to give them while they're so young. (Example: Kids get just as excited about fresh strawberries as they do a cupcake!) Ever since having gestational diabetes and my experiences at that time & education about nutrition... it's very hard to ignore doing the right things for my kids' bodies as much as possible.

Breastfeeding: It's going well. She definitely prefers my left boob to my right and sometimes she doesn't want to nurse on that side at all! So if you think my boobs look a little lopsided these days... they probably are! ;) I still would love to breastfeed her up until her 2nd birthday, but we'll see how far we get with it. I'm so happy the first year mark is right around the corner! It would be a lot more challenging without Tony's support to keep me going. Molly's been getting up frequently throughout the night (growth spurt? teething? who knows...) and he will go get her across the house for me when I am feeling 99% zombie. (Thank goodness for side-lying breastfeeding!) He fills up my big water cup whenever he notices it's low, if I need to breastfeed in the car he'll make sure and park it somewhere private, and he changes as many diapers as he can while he's home so I don't get burnt out! I'm thankful for his companionship and his partnership. {Reasons #7-12 I love my Husband}


In other news...

Amanda, Anne Marie & Matthew were here for a visit a few weekends ago and while our original plans didn't pan out, we end up having fun no matter what!

A couple days before our visitors came in town, Tony and I saw Dave Matthew's Band play in Southaven, Mississippi for our anniversary! It was such an incredible show. As if I didn'tl ove their music enough already... this concert sure made me a believer! It was a first for both Tony & I to see them in concert and such a fun way to celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary. We followed it up with a late late night trip to Waffle House before heading back home. I love having fun with him! The night just reminded me of all the magic in our relationship and how much we have to look forward to the rest of our life together.

Finishing with Grey Street was just PERFECT if you ask me!

My favorite twin-cousin just had her baby girl, Emalynn and she is so precious. The live a hefty 9+ hours away so we haven't gotten to hold her yet (dying inside!!!!!!!!!) but I know she's getting plenty of lovin' from her sweetie pie little family. Breanne's kids love me so much... Emory, for instance, was born the day before my birthday and now Emalynn chose to make her grand entrance the day after my anniversary!

I need to be holding this kid while drinking some coffee with my cousin, STAT.

And it was just Grandmommy's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SELENA!!! We got tacos (Maria's Cantina is soooo delicious!!!) and birthday ice cream and had so much fun hanging with Grandmommy and Papa for the afternoon!!!

Next it'll be Tony's birthday followed up by Molly's birthday & baptism and then Anne Marie's 3rd birthday! Hopefully we'll be able to get to Nashville again soon to have some cousin strawberry picking fun and maybe get to the zoo, too! I'm so excited for the summer. Hope everyone is having a stellar 2nd half of 2015!!!

Molly baby. I love you and your silly growls, your funny faces, and your big-ole-loving heart. I'm so lucky to be your mommy and I promise to never forget that. I might lose my patience and sometimes I can be a shitty mom... but no one will ever love you the way that I do. You light up our lives! Thank you for being my girl.

Molly is NINE months old.

So, wow. We're less than 3 months away from having a TODDLER!

Another month closer to Mol's first birthday.

We've given her bananas, peas, green beans, eggs (woops), pumpkin, sweet potatoes/yams, pears, and carrots.  On deck is applesauce, avocados, and yogurt.  And she's a fantastic eater... probably making up for the fact that she didn't really start eating solids until she was 8 months old!

Oh and she just started snacking on table food as well - she's tried sweet potato puffs, rice rusks, & tiny bits of blueberry pancakes.

We're still breastfeeding.  We're currently in the stage where she likes to grab my boob while she drinks (out of comfort) but ends up practically mauling my boob!  I've currently got little fingernail size cuts all over my skin.  Thankfully, she's cute and can get away with that kind-of behavior.  I remember Presley used to pinch and scratch my arm fat when she nursed and I HATED it... would end up bleeding and with little bruises... so I am sure this too will pass before I realize it.

We're currently teaching her how to touch people gently as well as how to clap.  Presley has SO MUCH FUN helping me teach Molly these little behaviors.  She will be the first to realize when Molly is trying to clap on her own and will congratulate her enthusiastically.  Presley is such an awesome big sister and Molly already follows her around the house and wants to do everything big sister is doing.  That, and she looks at her so lovingly.  Sometimes Presley has the "get the hell out of my personal space" type of attitude about it... but most of the time Presley is welcoming of the adoration.

Molly is crawling like crazy and loves to chew on paper... and anything else we leave on the floor that she's not supposed to have.

She had your first time in a swing this month and seemed to like it despite her inability to sit up properly.

 
At her 9 month well visit, Molly measured 26.5 inches tall and weighed 14 pounds & 11 ounces.  (At this age, Presley was 16 pounds & 13.5 ounces and 27.5 inches tall.)  Molly dropped off her growth curve and is currently somewhere around >3% for weight.  We talked it over with her doctor and if it continues this way at her next check up, then we will begin to worry/figure out if it's a bigger issue.  I'm hoping for no underlying health issues... I love her being a tiny little peanut baby and hoping it's just the way she is!  By the way - we LOVE her doctor so so much.  After leaving Dr. Brodd when we moved, I was much more distraught than I probably should have been.  I was sure we would never find another pediatrician like him and as a result I was destined to hate every future doctor of Presley's (because Molly wasn't here yet).  And that's exactly what happened with the first pediatrician we saw... it was an awful fit.  So we tried Dr. Bradley Jones at the Memphis Children's and holy cow - he is a great man! Glad to have found another pediatrician for my kids that I totally trust and who has great bedside manner!

Mol is definitely working on her top teeth coming in so we are teething full force, round two! I cannot wait until they come in and I can see what she looks like with her new chompers.

The weather here has been great and we have visited the zoo several times already... so excited for the beautiful weather to be here to stay!

And since I am so late in posting this, I get to talk about our trip to Nashville! Our nephew, Matthew, had his FIRST birthday so we got to party with him this past weekend.  We went to the Discovery Center in Murfreesboro and it was a blast.  We followed it up by pizza for lunch & hanging out the rest of the day before heading back home.  The kids are adorable together and I love how close they are to a cousin in age... that is so much fun & will continue to be throughout the years.

And finally, Molly's first Easter has come and gone. It definitely makes me happy to see the changes in our family's Easter photo from 2014 to 2015... cracks me up Tony is in his work clothes both photos and just how much his uniform has changed in a year! And then there is little Presley - look at how much she has grown in a year. I go from being pregnant to having a tiny little 9 month old baby girl in 2015 from 2014.

Easter 2015

Easter 2014

This post wouldn't be complete without posting the 9 months in/9 months out photos!

L: Me & Presley and my 9 month baby bump R: Me & Presley with little Miss 9-month-old Molly!