First Day of Spring.

There are all different reasons to celebrate the special days that changed your life - the day someone was born, the day you met someone important, the day you married the love of your life, the day you gave birth, the day you got clean/sober. What's so amazing is usually we don't fully know how much or in what ways our lives are about to be impacted. There is no way to know how significant or incredible these 24 hours will be for days, weeks, and years to come. It starts out just like every other day.

Fourteen years ago I started dating the guy of my dreams.

I remember the day we met - or at least the day that got the ball rolling. He was wearing his yellow Old Navy sweatshirt and was riding his bike around the parking lot of Brookside Baptist. I was on my way to the soccer field for practice. I plucked up the courage and without thinking said "hey" to him and halfway expected him to say nothing. Instead he said "hey" right back to me.

I remember when I first fell in love with him - at the ripe age 13. We were on a ski trip with a bunch of kids from Brookside Baptist and we rode to and from Gatlinburg and Memphis together in the same van. We were with a bunch of our mutual friends and it was a safe space where we could just have fun and be ourselves. I got to know him a little better over the long Martin Luther King Jr. weekend in 2001 and on the way back home from the trip I was head over heels for this sweet, quiet, kind, funny, playful older guy.

I remember our first kiss. It was an accident! We were leaning in to hug each other and our heads turned the same way and our faces ended up meeting and it was so incredibly awkward considering how well we'd known each other and how much we liked each other at this point. I remember going back inside and detailing the kiss to my big sister and then dissecting it with her. And to this day I love that moment - how hilarious it is to relive and think about - and how grateful I am that our awkward first kiss happened.

I remember the day he asked me to be his girlfriend. And I remember the day I said yes. Tony had asked me to be his girlfriend before and instead of saying yes - I told him I needed more time. To be completely honest, the gravity of our relationship was too much for me at the time. It felt like the real deal from day one between us and that was intimidating. Not to mention the foundation of our relationship was sturdily built on our friendship. What if we dated and for some reason it didn't work out... I would lose my best friend. That was a risk that at the time I wasn't willing to take. My cousin came in town to visit and she told me what an idiot I was for not being his girlfriend - that he was such a nice guy and he was clearly crazy about me. I don't remember what exactly changed between us to get me to say yes, but I remember Breanne being so honest and real with me and that was a huge wake-up call to me. I remember telling him I was ready and to ask me again. He told me this was the last time asking... that he wouldn't do it again. So March 20, 2003 after asking three times and it being WAY overdue... we made it official.

I love that it coincided with the first day of Spring when it is all about growth, newness, transformation, and renewal. I'm glad Tony never gave up on me when it would have been much easier to do so. I cherish every year I've had with him and everything we've shared.

We've come a LONG way since the Brookside days... and he's still my best guy and truest friend and without a doubt the great love of my life. And the best is yet to come!

{Presley is 2.5}

Jeez Louise!  My itty bitty baby goose is a big two-and-a-half year old!

Presley & little cousin Annie (Summer 2014)

Annie & Presley (Christmas 2012)

Annie & Presley (Summer 2014)

I am so proud of this kiddo.

Here are some fun 2.5 year old Presley facts and stats:

*She still loves reciting her ABC's.  If you ask her what a specific letter is, she can recall just about all of them.  Smart as a whip!
*She loves her little sister.  When we're in the car and Molly starts to cry Presley will say, "It's okay Molly-girl.  We're almost there!"  Never fails to make me smile.  She asks to hold Molly on a daily basis and is very gentle with Molly.
*Presley has definitely upped her milk intake over the last few weeks - I think this is due to knowing Molly gets to drink milk around the clock.  Presley's also hit a stage where she eats very little so I've started giving her a gummy multivitamin each morning.
*Presley is teething and is working on pushing through her bottom back molars!  After those are in we only have the top back two molars and then we will {eventually} enter into the world of LOSING teeth... eeeeek!
*Daddy is still her favorite person in the entire world.  And I don't blame her one bit - he is my favorite person, too!
*She is a legitimate fast runner and loves to run.
*She's just recently started to LOVE the Tinker Bell movies. (And so do I.)  Loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Lilo & Stitch, Shrek, the Lorax, Tarzan and is just starting to open up to the older Disney movies (Cinderella and Little Mermaid so far).
*Such a great sleeper at both nap and bedtime.  Loves her new nightlight that projects stars and the moon up on the ceiling!
*Absolutely loves her toddler bed.  We'll be switching her to a twin bed here soon in the upcoming months so that Molly can have the baby mattress for her crib!
*Still peeing/pooping in diapers and neither one of us are making any effort to change that.  She has no interest in using the potty - the big one or the small potty we got her.
*LOVES playing in the water.  Sprinklers, pools, bath or shower time, spray grounds, puddles... you name it - she will jump right in and enjoy it.
*Is beginning to enjoy trips to Target almost as much as I do!  She asks to go to Target (by name!) because she knows she will get a cookie at the bakery.
*Really loves our trips to the Memphis Zoo - which are too few and far between these days because of the heat and having a newborn.  She almost always asks to see the hippos!  She asks for the giraffes and elephants and usually the big cats and penguins!  She really likes the fish in the aquarium, though I really wish they would expand their tiny tiny aquarium exhibit.  Her favorite attraction at the Memphis Zoo is the water that sprays up like Old Faithful... she could play in the water for hours if she had the opportunity.


Presley also had her first insect sting experience this week and it was a doozy!  Tony took Presley over to a family friend's house to swim yesterday and just as he went to strip her down to get her into her swim stuff he saw a wasp flitting around.  Tony stomped on the bug and went to move on when he saw another one flying around and that's when the damn bugs started to swarm Tony & Presley and attack.  Tony picked Presley up and jumped in the water where they didn't let up much until he swam over to the water sprayer on the pool.  Tony got stung once in the leg and poor Presley was closer to all the wasps before they got in the water and she had at least 3 stings we could find - the most obvious was on her left eyelid (the other two were on her right hand and left cheek).

I was at home with Molly when they called and Tony asked me to come over there.  I called my Aunt Donna & Uncle Jeff - who are pharmacists & parents - because I honestly didn't know what to do in this situation.  When they didn't answer I called my little sister who is on her way to becoming a nurse.  She was really very composed and I asked her what else besides children's Tylenol to give Presley, to which she straightaway answered with chidlren's Benadryl.  Thankfully we had some so I swooped those things up and rushed over.  Tony warned me beforehand that Presley's eye was very swollen and that it was a sad sight to see her upset - so thankfully I prepared myself for the situation on the way over.

This was at least an hour after taking the Benadryl - which seemed to help the swelling

When I got there I covered Presley's good eye and she was able to recall how many fingers I was holding up with the bad eye.  My Aunt Donna & Uncle Jeff called back right after I got to Presley and they were able to help me with the dosage of the Benadryl for Presley.  We headed home rather than an ER because from what we were reading online it didn't sound like we had to get a stinger out or that her life was in danger - though I wasn't 100% reassured.  On the way home I called so many people - the pediatric group to leave a message for the on-call physician, my older sister & brother-in-law because I figured as camp counselors they might've dealt with something similar, a friend who is a pharmacy tech at LeBonheur, Tony's aunt and Tony's mom and I couldn't get a hold of anyone.  We finally got a call back from the on-call pediatrician who was very reassuring and said we didn't have much to worry about unless her breathing became labored, she started coughing or vomiting, or if a widespread rash popped up.  Presley was really a trooper through the entire thing and we got Chick-fil-A for dinner as a treat.

Here she is this morning (in her Star Wars jammies) - no worse for the wear!

I still can't believe the wasp managed to sting her RIGHT at the end of her eyelid... I can't imagine what the hell would've happened had it stung her eyeball and I am so glad I really don't have to know what that looks like right now.  Just another parental experience we now have under our belts!

I could go on & on about Presley at this age - but I think this will do.  I can't believe she will be three in another 6 months and we'll be planning another birthday... didn't she just have one?!

Presley girl, I hope you feel how loved you are by all your friends and family and especially Mommy & Daddy.  I'm glad God's plan was more brilliant than my own and I am so thankful to have you in my home and life and family and heart.  I pray you will always be this sweet and special girl I've come to know over the last two and a half years while continuing to evolve into who you are meant to be.  I love you so much and I always will.

Our last first.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Today marks our "last first" as we've been calling it around our house... meaning, this is the last time we'll be celebrating one of Presley's first holidays!  Last Valentines Day I honestly don't remember what we did, but I do remember thinking, "Wow! This is the last holiday that it will be just the two of us!"  And here we are again - except now we've kinda come full circle.

Tony wants to start a tradition where he takes Presley out on Valentine's Day every year.  He got the idea from one of his work buddies who has done this for his daughters on every Valentine's Day.  The sneaky parental part of this that Tony especially likes is that once she gets to the point where she's dating, Presley will have to turn down her boyfriend on Valentine's Day because of the traditional date she has with her daddy every year!  Genius, right??  I think the idea is so precious and I hope it is something I can watch every year as she gets older.

We decided not to do anything too huge for Valentine's Day this year for several reasons... we are cheap-o's who don't have a money tree growing in our backyard, Presley is still so little and won't remember anything, and also because her first birthday and her birthday party are coming up this weekend and next week!  But we did want to do a little celebrating so we decided to visit Cracker Barrel for the first time in over a year!!!  It's always been one of our absolute favorite places and it did not disappoint.  I think Presley enjoyed herself, too!  Presley got her first taste of cornbread and mac & cheese there tonight and she is hooked.  Oh, and as if dinner wasn't fabulous enough, Tony got me the sweetest gifts!  He got me some delicious candy, a card that made me cry (SO sweet!), a certificate for a manicure/pedicure, and a certificate for a hand/foot/head massage!!!!  I feel completely unworthy of such special treatment - but I sure can't wait to get pampered!  Presley and I have one thoughtful valentine.

Here are some of Presley's Valentine looks...

OshKosh Overalls with pink hearts from her Grandmommy

The fabulous Babies R Us clearance dress I've been waiting to dress her up in for a year!

More clearance clothes - this time from The Children's Place - tutu and leggings with a "my heart belongs to daddy" tee

The bow didn't last long!  It's also a clearance item from Von Maur.

Hope everyone enjoyed the day just as much if not more than any other day!  And Presley, if you do read this someday, I had such a blast with you on your first Valentine's Day.  I hope that you will always be one of my best friends throughout our time together because you certainly are now!  We love you so much, even when you are being naughty!!!

PS... get excited for some fun upcoming posts - a post about our recent family pictures, one on the subject of child seat safety including a fun contest, and Presley's birthday party this weekend!

Miscellaneous.

So, I bought this adorable little dress last year for Presley to wear this year for Valentine's Day.  It's precious and has little hearts all over it and my favorite part is that I got it after the holiday so it was super clearanced out!  The worst part is that I've had to stare at it for a YEAR hanging in her closet before getting to dress her up in it.  Since it's officially February now, I am finding all kinds of excuses to finally put her in it.  I'm thinking about putting her in it this weekend for church!  And of course on Valentine's Day when she goes on a date with her mommy and daddy!  Can't wait for that and of course I will post about it afterwards.  This will be her last "first" holiday since her birthday is less than a week after Valentine's Day, so she wasn't here to celebrate with us last year.  And then two days after her last first holiday is her FIRST BIRTHDAY!


February is going to be such a fun month; this weekend is the Superbowl, next weekend I've scheduled family/first birthday pictures, and the following weekend is Presley's birthday party.  We were going to do cake smash pictures but Tony and I decided we wanted her first time digging into some yummy cake to be at her party and I just can't wait to see her reaction.  I've decided to make her a pumpkin flavored cake and I can't wait to post about it!  And for her birthday party we're going to get some pizza with friends and family a the weekend before her actual birthday.  It'll be a blast!  So far all we've gotten her (and all we really plan to get her) is a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe!  Though, I'm sure as her birthday gets closer I will start justifying small gifts for her here and there.

In other news... I've gotten so fed up with my post-baby body lately and it mostly stems from the fact that I'm not really doing anything about it.  (Stupid winter...)  I've thought about joining a local gym that's only $10/month, but until I make up my mind about the gym, I've started doing a pre-shower mini workout routine.  (The base of the routine is... 50 jumping jacks, 5 pushups, 20 crunches, 20 mountain climbers, 30 second plank, & arm routine with my weights.  It doesn't seem like very much of a routine, but it's a start and it really is what I need to get started because it's not a HUGE commitment.)  I'm only 10 pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight but those ten pounds look dramatically different on a mommy's body!  I gained some weight back after I stopped doing the couch to 5k program - which I hope to start back once spring hits. 

That's about all for tonight, but I hope everybody is busy having a fantastic and relaxing weekend!  Soak it up.