Will's Good News

Don't you just want to pick him up and squeeze him?! Will's mom & dad, my sister Angie & her husband Joe, got really great news this morning! Read the following from Will's Carepage...

Well, about an hour ago Will's doctor and I decided not to do a PIK line. This is a huge answer to prayer! Will was going to have to go under anesthesia with full intubation for this procedure due to the fact that he coded during anesthesia during February. I have been very anxious about this procedure all weekend. I woke up this morning with a huge question of why is this risk necessary for just 1 1/2 weeks more of IV antibiotics? This is the clarity that I have prayed for, and have asked you all to pray for for Joe and I. It is so hard to think clearly and make vital decisions when you are so weary and worried. Will was on the OR schedule this morning, but when the team arrived I asked them to take him off the schedule, and later when Will's pulmonologist arrived he totally agreed that it was too great a risk to place the PIK line. A huge sigh of relief! What this means, though, is that Will will need to remain here until the antibiotics are complete...about 10 more days. Know that we are very well cared for here at Dell, and the staff have gone out of their way to help us through this difficult time. The healing continues for all of us! Thank you for your sweet messages and continuing to lift us up. Love Joe Angie Gabe and Will

Thank you, Lord, for making the decision so evident. Please continue praying for Will's recovery. He's still a sick little guy, but it sounds like he is on the road to recovery!

God's Will

We are praying tonight for my precious nephew, Will, who is in the hospital. In his 4 years of life, he has been in and out of the hospital too many times to count. He's fighting off a nasty infection, but seems to be getting better. He has a non-functioning right lung and it appears to be the source of the infection. He will more than likely be facing lung removal surgery in the future. My sister Angie & her husband Joe are so strong...they are worried and scared about the possibility of yet another surgery, I'm sure, but they have a tremendous faith in our Heavenly Father. Will is a fighter, too! SO BRAVE AND STRONG! When he's feeling good he runs and plays and works puzzles and colors and acts silly...he is SO SILLY! He will get his PICC line in the morning and they are hoping his nurses at home can manage it so that he can go home soon. Here are just three of my favorite pictures of Will...

...at the farm with Paw Paw (I think this was his first trip to the farm)

...in costume with big brother Gabe and Cousin Mary Katherine. If I remember correctly she was a trapped princess, Gabe was a knight coming to save her, and Will was the scary blue monster...HILARIOUS!
...and showing off the peaches he picked with Paw Paw.
Will has taught our family so much in the last 4 years! He is a precious miracle of God. Job 9:10 says "His great works are are too marvelous to understand. He performs miracles without number." Will is a GREAT WORK of God. He is God's little Will...such an angel.

Relaxing Weekend

We had a great weekend relaxing at home. Friday night we went to eat with Andy & Kathy and their three kids-Mexican food was enjoyed by all! Here's Georgia enjoying her supper....HA!

After supper Kathy & I needed (and I use that term loosely) to go to Target, so Shelby went home with Andy & the kids. When we got home I laughed so hard I cried when I saw the girls...it was obvious the guys were in charge of baths and pj's...
Their hair is what made me laugh the most...Mary Katherine still had a braid in her hair, even though she washed it. I don't think they brushed their hair either...SO FUNNY!
Georgia Claire LOVES Aunt Kathy...

I love my husband...we made a quick trip to Lowe's to get a tool that he needed to fix my food disposal...and HE FIXED IT! Never mind the fact that it has been broken for a few months, the tool only cost $6 and it took him less than five minutes to fix it! I'm just glad to have it back...it's the simple things that excite me, folks! I love you, Shelby!
On the way to Lowe's, Georgia Claire fell asleep with her dolly clutched in her hand...SO SWEET! I'm SO excited to have a jogging stroller and that Georgia Claire enjoyed her first ride! YIPPEE! We went for a 40 minute walk and she was as happy as can be...I, on the other hand, learned that I am WAY OUT OF SHAPE! Hopefully my new work out buddy will keep me accountable! =) We started sweet potatoes yesterday and she REALLY enjoyed them tonight...HAPPY GIRL!
Thank you God for a loving family and our newest addition...she brings SO MUCH JOY to our life!

Rice Cereal

Well, we had our first attempt at Rice Cereal this morning and Georgia Claire did really well, I think! She had it all over her, of course, and rolled it around with her tongue but towards the end she started swallowing it. Here are some fun pictures of breakfast this morning!

SURPRISE!

She started sucking on her fingers and then it got on her hand, on her Bumbo, on her legs, on her feet...so funny! Bath time came quickly after this meal!

Aaahhh...that was good, now time to relax!

Can you say laid back?!

Fun first attempt at rice cereal...more meal time pictures to come!

Four Month Check-Up

Four Month Stats:

Length: 25.25 inches (82.11 %)

Weight: 17.8 lbs (98.95%)

SO what does that all mean?! We have a big baby! =) She was almost off the charts in her weight...we knew it would probably be that way! We tell Georgia Claire all the time that this is the only time those rolls are going to be cute! Ha! She did very well, even though she got 3 shots today. Of course she cried, but recovered quickly. She is such a great baby! This first picture was taken before the dreaded shots, sitting in Mama's lap...she looks a bit worried to me!

She enjoyed watching the rain outside while we waited on the doctor.

The doctor said she looks great. Thank you Lord for a healthy and happy baby! The only thing we have to work on is her lifting her head while she's lying on her tummy. She said that Georgia's so laid back we're going to have to push her a little bit! She put her on her tummy on the examination table and she just laid there, turned her head, and smiled at us! SO, "Baby Boot Camp" starts tomorrow...she's got to strengthen her shoulder muscles! We're also starting on rice cereal and introducing fruits and vegetables...a stage that we think will be very messy but lots of fun! I can't wait to sit her in her Bumbo in the morning and watch her try to eat! I see some pictures of all of that in our near future!

As soon as we got home, she had a big bottle and went to sleep. She slept for FOUR hours! Wow! I kept going in her room to check on her and every time she was snoozing...and, as you can see from the picture below, she has found her thumb! I'm working on removing it and giving her the pacifier, but I couldn't be that mean to her today...not after all those shots! So, I let her soothe herself! I was a thumb sucker and I know how hard it was for me to give it up! I think it will be a lot easier to give up a pacifier! I hope so anyway!

Georgia Claire, your daddy and I are so very thankful for these last 4 months with you and we love you so much! Your sweet smiles and coos bring tears to my eyes at least once a day!

Psalm 9:1 says

"I will thank you, Lord, with all my heart:

I will tell of the marvelous things you have done.

I will be filled with JOY because of you.

I will sing praises to your name, O Most High."

Thank you Lord, with all my heart, for sending us our beautiful baby girl by way of a wonderful, mature, loving, courageous, selfless, beautiful young woman. We are in awe of your love for us and the plan that you have for our life!

Sweet Family Time in the City!

We have enjoyed a great weekend with Shelby's family in the city! Georgia Claire has been a doll, although she has gotten somewhat off her napping schedule...I'm not complaining, though! She still sleeps all night...what a blessing! We are one happy family, and I am reminded tonight, that it is by the grace of God and the selfless decision of her birth mom. I heard about a family today--friends of a friend--who went for the birth of their child on Friday and the birth parents decided today that instead of signing the relinquishment papers they would try to parent the child instead. SO, this couple came home with an empty carseat. Although I do not know any of them, I feel connected and my heart is heavy...praying for them that God would bless them with their baby SOON!
I sat in the back seat on the way, just to give Georgia Claire some company, and to play. She loves her doll and other toys right now. Here she is talking to her...

And here she is putting her in her mouth! EVERYTHING goes straight to the mouth!

Sitting in Mimi's lap and blowing bubbles...tired baby girl but still SO SWEET! Look at that face! I could just squeeze her I love her so much!

I thought this face was hilarious...she had just burped when I caught it...

We had some girl time with Great Grandma and Aunt Heather...sitting in her Bumbo and filling out every inch of it!

Great photo with Mimi and Gran Barry before a day of shopping. They love her so much! We were at JC Penney earlier looking for a dress for Georgia and their conversation went something like this...Barry-"I'll hold her so you can look at the dresses." Paula-"I'm OK. I can look and hold her at the same time." Barry-"No, let me hold her!" Paula-"Are we actually arguing about who is going to hold Georgia?!" Hahahaha...gotta love it!

Great Grandma loves Georgia so much. She only lives a few miles from Barry and Paula and stopped by this afternoon to bring Georgia some Christmas pj's! We went by to see her after supper last night and Georgia just smiled and smiled at Grandma! Grandma said she didn't know if she thought she was funny or funny looking...whatever it was it sure was SWEET! Georgia loved being in her lap. I like to call those times "Georgia Therapy Sessions"!

Aunt Heather has been sick and didn't get to hold Georgia very much, but she was better today. So, here they are together...both very content! The cute little horse is a gift from Aunt Heather from her vacation to Colorado with Barry and Paula this past summer.

And here we are at Pei Wei (one of my faves) with my long lost friend KYM!!! I love Kym so much and I have missed her greatly! We all went to HPU together...she is a precious friend with a killer voice that loves the Lord. She will graduate in May from seminary--I can't wait to see where God uses her! I KNOW it will be in a great and mighty way! We think it has been EIGHT years since we last saw each other, but it feels like yesterday. Don't ya just love friends like that? I call them my "low maintenance" friends...the type that you can pick up right where you left off...even EIGHT years later! We are facebook buddies but WILL see each other more often face-to-face! LOVE YOU, KYM!

It was a great weekend in the city...full of good friends, good food, good shopping, and LOTS of sweet family time!

Cute Kids

Andy's brother Nate got married on Saturday night, so we didn't see too much of the Adams clan this weekend, but I was able to go by their house before they left for the wedding to get some pics! These kiddos are SO CUTE and I love them SO MUCH (I think they love their BB & Shelby, too)! They were "my kids" before Georgia was born. They live less than a mile away and to say that Shelby & I enjoy spending time with them is a HUGE understatement!

Luke--the ringbearer at 6 years old!

Mary Katherine--one of the flower girls at 4 years old-posing for the camera!

Caroline--just cute at 2 years old (although she was NOT in the mood to get her picture taken)!

The 3 sweeties together...Mary Katherine did not let go of Luke the entire time!

Silly picture...Caroline & Luke got into it...I think Mary Katherine was too pretty to be silly!

What a cute little couple! I told Kathy that this picture was like a look into the future...prom nights, weddings, etc. In about 12 years, she and Andy will have a senior, a junior, and a freshman in high school! Whoa!

Proud Mama with her beautiful babies...
Andy and his "Mini Me"! What studs!!!

BB loves you all VERY MUCH!

Weekend with Will & Gabe

Will & Gabe (and their parents!) came for a visit this past weekend and I didn't take many pictures! I forgot my camera Friday night and then Saturday I forgot...here are a few from the weekend. The weather was supposed to be beautiful and we were going to spend Saturday morning at the farm playing, but it rained and was cool...not good weather for kiddos to play in! Andy, Kathy, Luke, Mary Katherine, and Caroline were busy with Andy's brother's wedding...rehearsal dinner Friday night and wedding Saturday night, but we got to hang out a little while with them!

Will was doing really well this weekend, although he ended the weekend with a fever and low oxygen levels. We always enjoy this little guy so much...he's such a funny boy and SO very happy! He got to go, by himself, with PawPaw to ride tractors at the farm...he was in HEAVEN!

Will made me a crown...he told me I was a princess! =)

He (and Gabe) LOVED giving kisses and being near Georgia. By the looks of her face in this picture, she LOVED receiving them!
Here are the grandkids (minus Georgia plus Kathy) eating lunch together...Mom ended it with a big 'ol banana pudding! YUM!!!!!!
"Mama and Daddy" taking care of Georgia...Will made sure she was comfortable while Caroline sang "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"! What sweeties!

Little People

These pictures were taken a couple of weeks ago at Mom's and Dad's house. We got together for supper and the Fisher Price Little People made their usual appearance! We have quite a bit saved from our childhood (although it is NOTHING compared to what Shelby's parents have saved from Heather's childhood) and the nieces and nephews LOVE playing with them! We have the city building with the connecting traffic light, the Holiday Inn motel, the garage, and the two-story home. Kathy played with Luke and Caroline on this night (Mary Katherine was at dance)...we all still love playing with it!

In the first three pictures Luke put the mayor of the city on top of one of the buildings and gathered the people in the town square for a town meeting! Apparently, there was an evil scientist who buried something underground (under Mom's dining room rug) and it was important that the people of the town knew about it!!! What an imagination--I LOVE IT!

And Caroline ALWAYS gets all the "baby stuff" out to play with...the play pen, stroller, swing, rocking horse, changing table, tricycle, potty, etc. She was SO involved in playing she couldn't even look up for the picture! Oh, Georgia Claire is going to have LOTS of fun one of these days!

"Girly" Outfits

I sure do like to play "dress up" with Georgia Claire! If you attended any of my baby showers you know the amount of clothes that we we were given...LOTS OF CLOTHES! But, her closet and drawers are slowly becoming less and less crowded! She is growing SO FAST and cannot wear many of the clothes that we were given. She is now in size 6-9 month and she's almost 4 months old! WOW! Yes, she loves to eat! Dad even asked me the other day if the pediatrician was worried about her weight! Ha! I assured him that she wasn't! We will be shopping with Mimi (Shelby's mom) next week to get her a fall/winter wardrobe. It should be LOTS OF FUN! I've taken some pictures of her the last few days of some things that I love...

Here she is in a little blue-jean jumper and blue-jean tennies that Mimi bought her...

And here she is all warm and toasty in her hoodie & pink tennies from Aunt Heather and oh-so-soft pants from Mimi...
And here she is in an ADORABLE outfit that was given to us by a friend from church, Phyllis. SO CUTE! Such a sweet girl and such a cutie pie, too! We love you, Georgia Claire!

First Trip to the Park

Shelby has been in West Virginia for a week, so Georgia Claire and I were glad when he got home yesterday! We had game night last night with some friends and decided we were going to spend the day together, just us three. So, we decided to go to Tyler for the day and enjoyed Georgia Claire's first trip to the park. It was a PERFECT day...in the mid 70s, sunny and breezy! Bergfeld Park is our favorite...lots of good shade trees and lush green grass. It's been a favorite spot of mine and Shelby's since we were dating. We used to dream of bringing our baby to that park and today that sweet little dream came true!

Before we could make it out of town, she was screaming...SO HUNGRY! So, instead of taking a picnic lunch to the park, we ate at Sonic so Georgia Claire could have a bottle. Here's a picture of that sweet little "milk mouth" as I like to call it...

And here are some fun pictures of our time at the park. I think it's obvious that we LOVE LOVE LOVE our baby girl!

She kicked and squealed and cooed and smiled while laying on the quilt...I think she loves the park just as much as we do!

I love these next two pictures...look at that sweet little face!

And here she is coming home...I sat beside her and she cooed and "talked" to me the whole way home! I think she enjoyed her day! We love you Georgia Claire and look forward to MANY more trips to the park with you!