All About Autumn

Autumn Silly Pants and Ella Pics

2010-01-31T18:50:00.001-08:00

More Ella Pics!

2010-01-31T18:44:00.000-08:00

Ella Elise Horne

2010-01-31T18:33:00.000-08:00

First of all, Gen I am sooo sorry that it has taken me two weeks to get these pics posted for you. I love you! Gen and Aaron welcomed Little Miss Ella into the world on Sunday, Jan. 17th. Ella weighed 7 lbs. 9 0z and was 21 inches long. She has her daddy's face and legs and her mama's dark hair. She is a cutie! I am glad that Gen and Aaron live so close by. I have enjoyed sneaking over when Autumn is napping and getting some Ella sugar. I took Autumn to meet Ella and I am not sure what she thinks about her yet. We shall see. Autumn kinda gave her a look like okay, your nice but I was here first and I am going to play with my Uncle Aaron. I am sure they will be fast friends when Ella can get down and get into mischief with Autumn. Here are some pics of the happy little family.

2010-01-31T18:28:00.000-08:00

Happy 1st Birthday!

2010-01-31T18:08:00.001-08:00

I can't believe my baby is a year old. I know I am writing this after the fact, but it was such an emotional day for me. I had just finished putting all her past pics in her photo albums, writing comments, and dating them. I cried for three nights in a row, I think. Lee didn't know what to do with me. Here are 12 things about my sweet, cupcake girl! 1. Autumn is a delightful little girl who loves to laugh. 2. She may look just like her mommy, but she a daddy's girl all the way!!! 3. She loves baths. 4. She likes to chew on anything and everything. (paper is her favorite though) 5. She woud rather play chase or have us chase her than anything. 6. She loves music and likes to shake her booty. 7. She loves looking at the maows (cats) 8. She is a great sleeper and looks like an angel when she wakes up in the morning. 9. She loves her grandparents, uncles, and aunt. 10. Her favorite foods are chicken nuggets, french fries, gerber cheese puffs, and chocolate milk. 11. She is little for her age, but has a big personality. 12. She also loves ot play with telephone! (hangs up on grandma every time.) Autumn got many wonderful gifts for her bithday. A Dora Explorer musical book, a See-N-Say, Dr. Suess books, John Deere boots, a singing tea set, and a singing mailbox. It was a fun day!!! I made pizzas for everyone and funfetti cupcakes.

2010-01-31T17:58:00.000-08:00

Christmas Morning at Grandpa & Grandma's

2010-01-31T17:37:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics from Christmas morning. I am so glad I took these. Christmas and Autumn's birthday were such a blur for me. I didn't have any energy during our Christmas break and I was also concerned because Autumn wasn't eating hardly at all those 2 weeks. Turns out she had an ear infection and upper respiratory infection. We had to reschedule her 1 year old shots (I was okay w/that because Lee ended up getting to come with us) We had to see a different doc. the day she was sick. I was glad he gave us meds. but he upset me when he said she only weighed 17.5 lbs and she was in the 1%. He said you need to feed her more, she could stand to gain alot of weight. Ha ha she is putting on the pounds now, thanks to some good 'ole chocolate milk and mashed potatoes!!! ... It also turned out that my stubborn butt had to go see the doc. I ended up having bronchitis. I don't know what I would have done if Lee hadn't been off too. He was so wonderful! I was sooo weak from hacking up my lungs. He was a big help with Autumn. Autumn and I had some good naps that week. I was sooo sad that she felt bad on her birthday though. It broke my heart.

Back to Christmas Day! Grandpa and Grandma gave Autumn this cute little Fisher Price car. I think Uncle Jim liked it too. He pushed Autumn all around the house! I asked everyone else to save their other gifts for Autumn's birthday. Since she is just turning one I didn't think she needed a double dose of gifts. I know when she gets older she will know the difference and we will deal with having Christmas and Birthday back to back at that time.

Christmas Eve

2010-01-30T19:52:00.000-08:00

Our family made the decision this year to all come together and open gifts on Christmas morning at Mom & Dad's. It's something we had not all done together in several years. And, to be honest Gen and I missed it horribly. I don't think we ever realized how much we enjoyed the chaos and noise of a large family until we were on our own. Needless to say we made it happen! Therefore, Lee and I decided that Christmas Eve would be our special family evening at home with Autumn. Lee could hardly wait! We decided to keep her gifts simple for her 1st Christmas. We got her a set of wooden ABC blocks, a Christmas jingle bell bear, and the Fisher Price farm set. I think she really liked the bows and paper best! Having a child truly makes Christmas magical. I think I took about 80 pics that night. Here are a few to enjoy...

Our Little Helper

2010-01-30T19:39:00.000-08:00

Autumn is so inquisitive! She loves to watch us and mimic what we are doing. She is always on hand to help. I mentioned that Lee put his train set up in an earlier post, I believe. Well, I couldn't resist getting Autumn's pic when she tried to help Daddy "fix" the tracks and trains. I also got a cute pic of her trying to help me get some wrapping paper out. As they like to say at her sitter's she is almost 1 going on 21. :) We love her so much and she can always bring a smile to our faces. Oh yeah! I almost forgot I am finally getting around toposting a pic of Autumn on the bike with Mommy. Uncle Jim took this particular photo and I finally got a copy of it. (Sept. 2009)

Grandpa's Birthday and Other Random Pics

2010-01-30T19:21:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Dad's 50th birthday on the 12th of Dec. We all went to eat at Texas Roadhouse, then had some yummy chocolate pie (dad's fav) for dessert. Autumn enjoyed all the excitment of the evening!

Sooo Far Behind!

2010-01-30T19:10:00.000-08:00

So, I am so far behind in posting that I may never catch up at this point. I am going to try my best though. These pics were taken during the month of November. There are alot more pics and blogs to come. ....

Pics ....

2009-12-20T13:05:00.001-08:00

Catching Up!

2009-12-19T19:50:00.000-08:00

Wow! Life has been crazy busy lately!!! We have been going non-stop since mid October. Here's what we've been up to in a nutshell....

I was a bridesmaid in Mary & Matt's wedding the weeked before Thanksgiving. It was crazy, fun!!!

Lee went back to West Virgina that same weekend and was away for what seemed like an eternity. Absence really does make the heart fonder. We've known each other for almost 6 years and haven't really been apart much. It was an interesting week for Autumn and myself. :) Lee spent Thanksgiving day in the hospital with his Mam Maw. And, he killed his first buck that weekend on his dad's farm. :) He was super proud of his icky meat!

As for Autumn, she took her first unassisted steps the Thursday before Thanksgiving. Lee and I were so excited! She was so cute and shaky trying to get her balance. She had lots of practice staying home with mommy for a week.

I attended a wedding with Gen the week after Thanksgiving. It was beautiful, but icy cold that evening!!! Gen and Ella almost took a tumble down some steps and I almost had a heart attack. Long story! There's always drama when you get us girls together.

Jeff helped me get my tree and all my decorations down since Lee was away. What an awesome brother! :) Lee put up an awesome train set when he got back. We adore it!!! More about it later though.

Since then, we have busy getting ready for Santa and Autumn's upcoming birthday!!! I'll post pics and more updates on our little angel tomorrow.

Somone Special

2009-11-07T19:04:00.000-08:00

My life has changed so much over the past 7 years that I have been teaching. Being a teacher is so incredibly challenging, yet so rewarding. I didn't set out to be a pre-k teacher, much less a special education teacher. I thought I was meant to be a 2nd grade teacher. I planned and actively pursued jobs in multiple counties for a postion teaching older children. I even had a couple of offers. But it didn't seem right. On the day I was supposed to drive out of town for a follow-up interview I took a job teaching pre-k at a community daycare center. The pay was awful and I had no insurance. I kept thinking I didn't go to school 5 years to do this. Little did I know, the Lord had bigger plans for me. That daycare opened my eyes to things I didn't know existed in Valdosta, GA. I was saddened by many of the things that I saw and encountered. When an opportunity arose a few years later to teach preschool education I thought I just don't know if I can do this. After much prayer and one day observing what would become my future class and I knew my life would forever be changed. God humbled me that day. We often take so much for granted in our lives. We take for granted that we can talk, walk, see, and even eat. Now, that I have a child of my own I realize how blessed I am that she is happy and healthy. I love all of my students, even the really difficult ones. I think I learn more from them than they'll ever learn from me. However, this year in particular, I have really been touched by one of my students. He will forever hold a special place in my heart. I hope that wherever he is tonight he is safe, happy, and loved! Here are some pics of my special little guy with my parapros.

Happy Halloween....

2009-11-07T18:49:00.000-08:00

I don't know where time is going, but it's already November. October was an incredibly busy month for us. We have been to bridal parties, company picnics, a wedding, trick-or-treating, and more bridal party fun. Whoa!!! Autumn has been such a trooper. We had a blast dressing up her as a ladybug for Halloween. We took some treats to Aunt Gigi, Uncle Jeff, Grandma, Grandpa, and Pop. Autumn decided to help herself to a Hershey bar while at Aunt Gigi's house. But, Aunt Gigi got her to trade for some Laffy Taffy. Then, she was off to help herself to some of Uncle Aaron's movies. Uh Oh!!! Here are some of our fun pics from Halloween.

More Fall Break Pics

2009-10-25T18:00:00.001-07:00

10 Months!!!

2009-10-25T17:40:00.000-07:00

Our sweet angel will be 10 months old tomorrow!!! Time is flying by so quickly. Some days I feel like if I blink I am going to miss something. Autumn is standing all by herself now. I know walking is right around the corner. Her top four teeth are almost all the way through now. She loves following me around the house in the evenings. She also loves the telephone!!! She has to babble to everyone that calls. She also loves animals. Hmmm, wonder who she gets that from??? She gets so excited when she sees the two strays that have taken up residence at our house. One of them is friendly and lets Autumn pull on her fur. Poor kitty!!! She also loves making this clicking noise with her mouth. (Something else her daddy taught her) She loves to eat. She has taken a fancy to Zaxby's chicken fingers lately. She is turing out to be a little stinker! We love her so much and are so thankful that God gave us a beautiful, healthy little girl like her!!!! Below are some pics from our Fall break together.

Being Silly!!!

2009-10-17T19:40:00.000-07:00

Life has been incredibly busy for us lately. I haven't really had the opportunity to blog lately. Autumn is getting four or five of her top teeth in at the same time. She is so wonderful!!! She never cries, even though, I know her mouth hurts. She has had horrible tummy problems, diaper rash, and a runny nose thanks to those little teeth. Poor baby! She was so pitful the other day that she didn't even want to play. When her mouth isn't hurting she is quite the silly girl. She loves to play in the bathtub. She likes to pat at the bubbles in the tub and thinks it's funny to play with the stopper. She has also discovered how to push things around the house. She loves empty shoes boxes, her diaper bag, and plastic lids. ( You would think she didn't have toys.) Here are a few pictures of her getting into mischief!!!

9 months

2009-09-28T18:44:00.000-07:00

Wow! So much has been going on that I haven't had time to blog lately. I celebrated my 30th birthday a few weeks ago. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it. It was awesome though! Lee bought me a really nifty blue mountain bike. We ordered a kangaroo seat for Autumn. I can't wait to take her for a ride on it. I'll have to post some pics of that later. My mother-in-law came into town this past weekend for a visit with Autumn. I think Autumn enjoyed visiting with her, although she doesn't know her very well. Today, we went for her 9 month checkup. Autumn weighs 15 lbs and is 26 inches long. They checked her iron levels and poor baby got a flu shot. The nurse had to get a blood sample from her tiny, little finger because she couldn't enough from her toe. Autumn was such a trooper. She smiled and waved bye-bye to the nurse every time she came in and out of the room. She was so good, mommy bought her a baby doll when we went ot Wal-Mart. She has been dragging it around behind her all evening.

Things Autumn is doing at 9mths: waving bye- bye with both hands, saying dada & mama, cruising around furniture, eating some table foods ( she loves ice cream & mashed potatoes) and of course growling at anyone that will growl back! She is such a sweet girl. We love her so much.

My New Nightgown!

2009-08-30T15:26:00.000-07:00

We have been looking everywhere for Autumn a little nightgown. They just don't make them in her size. Thanks to her Grandma, she now has one though!!! Mom bought this cute, soft pink fabric and made her the nightgown in the pictures above. We love it!!!!! As you can see, Autumn loves it too. She fell asleep on the table as soon as I put it on her. Thank you Grandma. WE LOVE YOU!!!!!

2009-08-23T18:29:00.001-07:00

8 months old!

2009-08-23T18:07:00.000-07:00

Our baby girl will be 8 months old this week. It's so hard to believe!!! She is growing up too fast. I put this one outfit on her last, and I promise she looked like she was 8 months going on 8. .... She is at such a fun stage right now. She is crawling all over the place now. She is trying to pull up on everything. Before we know it, she is going to be walking. She is so happy and laughs at yand everybody. People are constantly stopping me in the mall or Wal-Mart and telling me how cute she is. We love her so much!!! Saturday afternoon Lee and I took Autumn for her 8 month photos. I hope I can figure how to post some of them. We went ahead and had a few shots done in her Halloween costume. She is going to be a ladybug!!! Autumn also started her 3rd foods today. She ate some cottage cheese, yogurt, and some oatmeal today. She didn't care for the textured Gerber foods in the jar. I guess, we will have to keep trying those.

Caught Red Handed!

2009-08-02T16:28:00.000-07:00

Autumn has been rubbing her eyes for the past two and half hours. That is a sure sign that she getting sleepy. I put her in her bed about 35 minutes ago. I sang her a few songs and I thought for sure she would be out. I came back in the office only to hear her giggling 15 minutes later. I went into her room and caught her climbing up the side of her crib again. Busted!!! Little stinker just smiled and laughed. Of course, I had to get the camera. I love her so much. She is such a little mess! I am going to miss her terribly tomorrow. It's that dreaded time of year again... Back to School.

Beach Trip!!!

2009-07-29T16:35:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Mom, Gena, Autumn, & I loaded up and headed to Jacksonville Beach for our girls trip. I couldn't wait to see how Autumn would react to the beach. We had an awesome time. We spent the morning shopping in the St. John's towncenter and eating at the Cheesecake Factory. Autumn enjoyed some yucky guacomole dip and the whipped topping on my cheesecake. Afterwards we checked into our hotel and hit the beach. Autumn sat down and instantly started trying to eat the sand. We had our work cut out for us. She loved that stuff!!! The waves tickeled the bottom of her feet, but she loved splashing. She also loved the pool!!! She floated around,splashed, and kicked. She is such a sweet heart. We all had a wonderful time and Autumn was so well behaved. We really can take her just about anywhere.

Autumn turned 7 months this week. Her top two teeth are trying to come in. They are killing her. She had figured out that she can try to bite at us with the bottom two. She is so funny. She loves to sit up in the floor and can get into just about anything. She has just about gotten the hang of crawling. I think she really wants to pull up on stuff though. She keeps trying, she just isn't tall enough yet. Thank goodness. I am already having to watch her like a hawk. We love her so much and I know I am going to miss her tremendously next week. The joys of going back to work. :(

Random pics from the past week....

2009-07-17T11:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Da Da ....

2009-07-17T11:12:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was Lee's 27th birthday. We had an awesome time helping him celebrate. Autumn didn't know what was going on, but she was really excited. She helped her daddy open his presents. One of the bows got caught on her hair, so we decided to add one more and take a few pics. She was cracking us up!!! We had dinner at the Ravine and a band was playing. Autumn thought it would be great to "sing" along. Very loudly!!! Thank goodness the other people around us thought she was funny. After we got home, we put her to bed. Well, I kept hearing her play with her rattle. She looked up and gave me the craziest face when I caught her. She just giggled. Forty-five minutes later she finally crashed. Little stinker!!!

2009-07-17T11:11:00.000-07:00

6 1/2 months!

2009-07-12T19:13:00.001-07:00

We have been so busy lately that I haven't had the time to update my blog. Autumn turned six months while we were in West Virginia. She weighs 13.6 lbs and is 25 1/2 inches long now. She's still in the bottom percentile. But, the doctors say she is just fine. :) She has got the cutest personality. She is always smiling and happy. She has started this half crawl/half scoot thing. We love to watch her. She is so determined to get across the floor to her toys. I took these pics the other day as she was sliding around. In the words of her Aunt Gi ... "she is such a poser." Autumn is also getting her bottom two and top two teeth all at about the same time. One of her bottom ones broke through her gums and is peeking out. She has been chewing on everything. Grandma got her some toast the other day and she loves biting down on it. Well, it's about bedtime. Hopefully, I will have time to post some pics later this week.

More Pics!!!

2009-07-01T17:50:00.001-07:00

Paul ( Lee's Papaw)

Lil' - (Lee's Mamaw)

Autumn, Lee, Uncle Jeff, Abby, & Little Man

Christina, Autumn, Uncle Jeff

Autumn with Tony (Lee's stepdad)

Road Trip!!!

2009-06-29T16:43:00.000-07:00

Tabitha - Lee's cousin

Christina - Jeff's girlfriend

Lil

Kim- Lee's mom (Nana)

Jared - Lee's youngest brother

Wow! Alot of things have happened in the past few weeks. Lee celebrated his 1st Father's Day, Autumn celebrated her 6 month, and we took a nice, long trip to West Virginia. It was Autumn's first time meeting her Nana, Tony (Lee's stepdad), Lil & Paul (Lee's maternal grandparents), her Uncle Jeff, Uncle Jared, and Becky (Lee's stepmom) We had an awesome time. Everyone loved meeting Autumn and showing her off. She was so pleasant the entire time we were there! Autumn had her first experience meeting some animals too. She got to play with several puppies, a kitty, and a bunny. Poor bunny is now missing some fur. It wiggled it's ears, which Autumn thought was funny, and she latched hold. Below are some of the cute pics we took on our trip.

Splish, Splash...

2009-06-10T14:16:00.000-07:00

Lee and I bought Autumn this adorable pool at Target the other night. Someone gave me the frog for her to try out. Autumn and I had a blast playing in her pool yesterday. She really enjoyed slapping the water and floating on her froggie friend. Check out the pics.

A COUSIN IS ON THE WAY!!!

2009-06-07T18:42:00.001-07:00

I am so thankful that I am officially on summer break! Autumn and I had a wonderful, relaxing week together last week. Lee and I went to Target tonight and picked up her highchair. While we were there we also got her a small sand pail and a little pool. I am so excited. I am going to blow it up tomorrow and we are going to play!!! Moving on now to another topic..... I'm going to be an Aunt!!! Gena and Aaron are expecting a little one at the end of January. The whole family is elated. I am thrilled that Autumn is going to have a little a cousin to play with. :) My mom and dad said this whole grandparent thing is the most fun they have had in years. They are wonderful and we are so fortunate to have them!

5 Months

2009-05-27T18:14:00.001-07:00

Autumn was 5 months old yesterday. I can't believe how much she is learning and changing every day. I found this pic of Autumn and Lee a few weeks after she was born. She was so tiny then. Here are a few new things about her.... She has discovered her toes and how to put them in her mouth. She comes home with soggy socks every day. She loves watching Disney movies and the Backyardigns (sp?) She loves her daddy!!! She will follow him around the room with her eyes. She also likes to sit in his chair with him and make growling noises. They are hysterical together. It makes my heart melt. She will also reach for favorite objects now and will even hand her pacifier back to us when she doesn't want it. She enjoys looking at books with me before bed (even if she does try to put them in her mouth) We read a Children's Bible story and a fun story every night. I hope this is a routnine we will always keep. We love her so much!!!! Only 2 more days then I get to spend the whole summer with my babe! I am so blessed to have a job that allows me to have this time off with her. :) I will have to show off her swim suit next time.

My First Mother's Day

2009-05-10T18:24:00.000-07:00

For those who don't know, last week was one of trial and tribulation for me. I have been stressed out about several situations at work. Lee's work scheduled changed, my students are crazed, and I am just basically worn out. To top it all off, I had an accident on Friday and my brand new vehicle now has to go to the body shop! At least, Autumn had already been dropped off at daycare and I wasn't hurt. Despite how bad it may have been, there is one thing that always makes my bad day melt away. I can't wait to get home each evening and see the sweet smile on my little girl's face. Growing up, I wanted nothing more than to be a mom. It seems like I had to wait forever for her. But that day finally came. And, today I am so grateful to God to have such a beautiful, sweet, healthy little girl. I love you Autumn ( my little sunshine)!

Relay for Life

2009-05-02T19:47:00.000-07:00

Autumn, Aunt Gigi, Grandma, and I all participated in the Relay for Life Friday. Mom had signed us all up through Park Avenue Bank where she works. We had a great time pushing Autumn around the track in her stroller. She did a wonderful job, despite the fact that her legs were sore from the shots. (The end of the night was another story however.... we will just skip over the part where she screamed insanely for about an hour) :)

Today was another wonderful day. We all slept in. Then, I ran to town to buy groceries. Afterwards, Lee and I took Autumn riding all over Valdosta. We are hoping to buy another house in the near future. ( at least before we have another little one) We checked out some pretty nice neighborhoods, but we haven't made any final decisions yet. Of course, we still have a few home repair projects to complete at our current home first. (like the blasted roof- that no one wants to touch) I can't blame them though. Hopefully, that will be taken care of by the end of this month though. :)

Doctor's Visit

2009-05-02T19:36:00.000-07:00

Autumn went to the doctor Friday for her 4 month checkup and shots. She weighs 12 lbs and

2 ounces. She's 24 inches long. She did such a good job this time. I think I cried harder than she did when she got her shots. (That's why her daddy goes with us) I can't even look. The doc told me to go ahead and proceed with baby foods. So, we tried some carrots today. She loved them!!! She kept trying to take the spoon from me and feed herself. I'm only giving her a couple tbsp but she gets mad and wants more. (She's showing off her boo boos from the shots)

4 months!

2009-04-29T17:31:00.000-07:00

Wow! It is so hard to believe that Autumn is 4 months old. I know I say that at the end of every month, but time is really flying by. Our sweet girl can roll from front to back and vice versa now. She also thinks she can crawl. She keeps pumping her little legs and pulling with her hands. She just isn't getting anywhere yet. She gets so mad too. She loves to watch t.v. She really enjoys sitting with her daddy and looking at the characters in his video game. She has learned how to swat the controller, which will make the character move. She has also discovered the mirror (above) on her exosaucer. She cracks herself up. Look out world... Autumn is also a big flirt. We will say Autumn did you flirt with the little boys today and she will giggle hysterically. She is also enjoying her new fruits. She really loves applesauce. I think it's because I chill it and it feels good on her gums. Well, that's all for now.

Happy Spring Our Angel!

2009-04-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

We took family photos tonight! Autumn did a great job "cheesing" at the camera. On another note, I was so excited this morning. I saw Autumn roll over from back to stomach 3 times this morning before work! She just giggled every time she did it. Lee said he saw her yesterday, but he didn't want to ruin my fun. He kept it to himself until I woke him up this morning in my excitement. oops!!!

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T18:04:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter Everyone! We went to Mom & Dad's today for lunch. Autumn had a great time socializing and napping! Hopefully, we will be hunting eggs next year. Mom bought her this adorable dress with matching pink shoes. We love it!!! .... We can't seem to fill Autumn up this week. She has finally decided to become hungry and eat. We have spent the last few nights up feeding her around the clock. And they say formula babies sleep longer, NOT!!!! So, I bought her some rice cereal. Lee and I attempted to feed her some while we were over at mom & dad's. It went pretty well. We ended up taking her shirt off though. She was trying to smear it everywhere. I fed her a little more around 8:00 tonight. She is sleeping peacefully at the moment. I can't believe how fast she is growing.

More Vacation Pics

2009-04-12T17:51:00.000-07:00

Autumn & Uncle "Duck" (Lee's uncle Eddie)

Mamaw Dolly (Autumn's great grandma)

Mamaw Hisaw (Autumn's great-great grandma)

Vacation to Mississippi

2009-04-07T18:43:00.000-07:00

Lee and I decided to be brave last week, pack Autumn up, and head to Mississippi for a week. This was our first road trip with Autumn and she did an amazing job! We left around 5 p.m. last Friday and she slept through most of the ride. She is such an easygoing, little girl. Autumn got to meet her great grandmother ( Mamaw Ferguson), her great-great grandmother (Mamaw Hisaw) and her grandpa (Papaw Ray - Lee's Dad) Lee's dad came down from West Virginia for a few days. It was his first time meeting Autumn. Autumn was terrified of him at first because of his whiskers. They were prickly against her face. Then, as you can see above, she got cracked up! He has nicknamed her his "little peachies". We had a wonderful time visiting with his Mississippi family. And, Lee was so excited that he got to fish with his dad! .... I'll post more about our trip tomorrow. Miss Autumn is ready for bed.

What A Mess!

2009-03-24T18:33:00.000-07:00

Autumn has recently figured out that she can pull her dresses and shirts up. She flashed so many people in town Saturday! I had just finished getting her dressed before church Sunday. Two minutes later, she had pulled her dress up and pulled off her bow. Then, she passed out. She closed her eyes when she saw mommy coming with the camera. Silly girl!

3 months

2009-03-24T18:22:00.000-07:00

It's so hard to believe that Autumn will be 3 months old on Thursday. I can't get over how much she has grown, even though she is still a petite girl. God has certainly blessed Lee and I with a beautiful, well mannered, little girl. Autumn is so sweet and such a happy baby. She loves to smile at her mommy and daddy! She is beginning to recognize her Grandma & Grandpa and her Aunt Gigi, Uncle Aaron, Uncle Jim, and Uncle Jeff. Lee and I will be traveling Friday to Mississippi to see his great grandmother and paternal grandparents. Lee's dad will also be driving down from West Virginia. We are so excited!!! It will be their first time meeting Autumn. Hopefully, Autumn will not inherit her mommy's car sicknesses. She usually sleeps at least 6 hours straight. So, we plan to drive through the night Friday. Check back next week for pictures from our trip. P.S. - Thank you Uncle Jim for the Sassy swing. As you can see, Autumn is enjoying it already!

Mommy Having Fun With the Camera

2009-03-08T15:44:00.000-07:00

Dont I Look Good?

Stretching!

Getting Ready for Church

Playing After Her Bath

Look Out Mall, Here We Come!

All Tuckered Out

2009-03-06T19:41:00.000-08:00

Autumn is nine weeks old today! We had a doctor's appointment this afternoon. Autumn got her first shots. I couldn't watch. It broke my heart when she cried. I was so glad Lee was there to help. He is a wonderful daddy! She weighs 10 lbs and 5 ounces and she is almost 22 inches long. Dr. Anderson said she had great muscle control and would probably do everything early. She already thinks she can sit up and stand. She gets so mad when I put her in her boppy. She will pull herself forward, then fall back. She gets mad and fusses about it, then tries again. She is so much fun to watch. ..... This is a picture of her after her shots this afternoon. She was worn out. Aunt Gigi gave her a bottle this evening and Uncle Aaron rocked her to sleep. She is so spoiled, but I think it's wonderful that she is so loved!

Thankful for the weekend!

2009-02-28T12:36:00.000-08:00

This week was by far the worst week of my life. Just when I thought I was going to be okay, I got a toothache and a sinus infection. Then, our sitter's husband had a stroke and Lee had to take off to stay home with Autumn on Thursday. I fell apart again on Friday when I had to leave. She was sitting on the bed making cute faces and cooing at Lee. I started thinking about everything I would miss during the day and I just lost it! Uggh!!! Lee did a great job taking care of her. He called me at work and Autumn cooed in the phone. :) Today, has been much better. We got up this morning and went to IHOP. Then we went and visited with Mimaw and Pipaw. After that we stopped by and saw Aunt GiGi and Uncle Aaron. Now, we are going to take a little snooze. Hopefully, next week will be better.

Feeling Blue

2009-02-24T18:29:00.000-08:00

Well, I started back to work on Monday of this week. Thus far, this had been the worst week of my life (and it's only Tuesday). For those of you who are working moms I know you can sympathize. For those who are fortunate enough to be able to stay home, thank God every day for this gift that you have been given. I feel like my heart has been ripped out my chest. I hate waking Autumn up at the crack of dawn every morning and having to leave her with a virtual stranger. She has been so confused this week. She screamed for an hour after getting home the past two afternoons. What makes the situation even worse for me, is that I am going to school to take care of other people's children. Oh the irony!!!!

I have had several people say, well you could stay home if you really wanted too. So not true, right now. Lee and I plan to have at least one other child (maybe two) and it's time to buy a new vehicle and get a bigger house. And, unfortunately in this day and age it pretty much takes two to make ends meet.

I really appreciate all my sweet family members, husband, and co-workers for being so supportive right now. I most certainly need it. So, please just keep praying for me and my little angel. Hopefully, we will adjust soon.

Eight Weeks and Counting...

2009-02-21T08:51:00.000-08:00

Sadly, time is marching on. Autumn was 8 weeks old yesterday. She will be 2 months on Thursday. I can't believe how much she has already grown. Mom bought this cute, little sweater before Autumn was born. She was so tiny when she came home, I never thought this thing would fit. But, as you can see she has it on!

Autumn is getting to be so much fun! She recognizes Lee and I whenever we pick her up. She is all smiles! She has also started cooing and "talking" to us when we hold her. She is trying really hard to roll over when we lay her on her tummy, but she hasn't quite got the hang on it yet.

I am super, sad that I have to go back to work on Monday. I have cried about it every night this past week. I know Monday will be a horrible day for me! Hopefully, Auutmn will have a good day with Mrs. Carolyn. I know she will take good care of her, but I can't stand the thought of having to walk away and leave her there. Please pray that I make it through the next week without having a mental breakdown. :)

2009-02-14T15:50:00.000-08:00

Autumn napping with he Daddy!

Autumn sporting her "Grandma" t-shirt!

Aunt GiGi Gets Married!

2009-02-14T15:40:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe but last weekend at this time, Gen and Aaron had finished saying "I Do" and were chillin' at home. Gen was a beautiful bride and the ceremony was very touching.

Autumn took Aunt Gigi's wedding all in stride. She pretty much slept the whole day away. However, when we got home she let Lee and I know that she had been good long enough. (Everyone thinks she is the quietest, little thing. ) Well, she "aired" out for lungs for about an hour and half after the wedding.

We hope Gen and Aaron had a great week on their cruise. We have certainly missed seeing them this week. Autumn is looking forward to seeing her Aunt Gigi when she gets back this week. :)

One Month!

2009-01-26T16:00:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that Autumn is already a month old. I don't know where the time has gone! I started noticing that her newborn clothes were actually starting to fit last week. I got on the scales at mom's today, then held her. We guess that she is about 7 1/2 - 8 lbs now. (depending on how accurrate mom's scales are)

Lee and I took Autumn to Portrait Innovations last Friday and had her picture taken. It was quite an adventure. The bright lights scared her half to death. We would give her the pacifier, then yank it out so they could get a shot. Amazingly, we actually got some great pictures. I'm so glad we decided to go ahead and do it. I want to always remember how tiny she was. And, of course, I had to mail some to Lee's family. They are unfortunatley, having to watch her grow up in pictures for the time being.

Sleeping Away the Day!

2009-01-15T16:10:00.000-08:00

Bath Time

2009-01-15T16:02:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, Autumn got to try her bath tub for the first time. She loves it! She loved it so much in fact, that she has had four baths today.

In all seriousness, Lil' Miss Autumn has a very sensitive tummy and likes to spit her food back up. Between the spit up and leaky diapers today, she has been in nine different outfits.

Mommy was feeling stressed and was really happy when Daddy woke up and took over for a while. And of course, Autumn was out like a light for him. I guess that's just the way some days go.

My Cupcake Girl

2009-01-07T16:57:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of our little cutie passed out on her changing table. Getting dressed was just too much for her, it wore her out!

Autumn went for a check-up today. She gained 10 0z in a week. She's up to 6 lbs and 14 ozs now. Some of her clothes are actually starting to fit.

Lee went back to work Monday and I cried. It has been so wonderful having him at home with us. He is an excellent dad! Autumn and I got ready later and made our first trip into town together. I hadn't driven in 2 weeks and to be honest I was nervous. Lee thought I was losing it! I deal with children who have all types of limitations on a daily basis. I suction feeding tubes and trachs, change diapers, restrain out of control kids, etc. all without blinking. Yet, the thought of taking my own little angel into town by myself terrified me. We made it though! Autumn got her birth certificate and then we stopped by to see Daddy and all of his co-workers. :)

Where Did the Week Go?

2009-01-02T09:46:00.001-08:00

Wow! It's hard to believe that Autumn is already a week old. She arrived last Friday at 9:18 a.m. She weighed 6 lbs 10 oz. and was 19 7/8 in. long. I was so blessed that she decided to come naturally. I was scared to that I would have to be induced. God was very gracious to me.
Autumn beat all the odds. She was not jaundice, insulin dependent, or "too big". She is a beautiful, healthy little girl.

We have had so much fun with her this week. Nonna, Papa, Aunt Gigi, Uncle Aaron, Uncle Jeff, Mary, Jessie, and Brandon have all stopped by to visit. We have had several blessed nights of rest and several all nighters. Mommy and Daddy are adjusting to their new rountines.

Autumn is a very good baby. She is very quiet! She enjoys getting a bath and sleeping in her carrier. She hates getting her diaper changed though. Unfortunately, Lee has to go back to work on Monday. Mommy and Autumn are going to be very sad. Daddy has been awesome with his little girl. I know he is going to miss her like crazy!

Our Little Gift

2008-12-29T15:07:00.000-08:00

Photos of Our Little Gift (side note: Aunt Gena Rocks!!!)

False Alarm

2008-12-25T20:54:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd share what an interesting Christmas Eve we had. Lee and I went to the doctor yesterday and they set up my induction for Monday at 4am. Then, we decided to head over to the mall and get Lee some new dress clothes. After a short visit with Mike and Tasha we finally got home. I was exhausted!!!! Around 7pm I started having contractions. Well, they begin to come closer and closer together. Around 11pm they were coming 3-7 minutes apart. Then, I thought (key word... thought) my water broke. So, Lee and I decided to go the hospital and let them check me out. They decided to hook me up to the monitor. Turns out my water didn't actually break. Oops! But, I was having legit contractions. They were were still coming 3-7 minutes apart (not consistent enough) but they were getting stronger and stronger. It was around 1am at this point. What happens next is just plain irritating!

They decided to send me home instead of letting me walk around or giving me more time. The nurse suggested I try to get some rest and that I could come back later if my contractions became real painful. Well, she asked if I wanted something to help ease the discomfort. I was led to believe I was getting something mild like a Tylenol PM. (which knocks me out usually) Little did I know she actually gave me a very strong sleeping pill. Which by the way, she made sure I took before we left. Let's just say by the time Lee pulled into our driveway, I couldn't even walk. I managed to get my pjs on before the real fun began. Apparently, I had a horrific reaction to the pill and I spent the next 20-25 minutes bent over the toliet, tossing up my cookies. By this time, Autumn decided she had enough fun for one night and my contractions began to ease off. Poor kid. If I hadn't taken the pill, she may have decided to come. The pill apparently slowed everything down. Which is probably what the nurse intended. I'm sure no doctor actually wanted to have to deliver a baby on Christmas morning.

Lee and I finally got in the bed and crashed! Meanwhile, poor Gen and Mom, had been on standby at home. Gen was so tired she fell asleep in her jeans. And, Mom despite the fact that she stayed up half the night worrying about me, still managed to serve us a fantastic Christmas meal today! My family is awesome!

Still Waiting...

2008-12-21T18:19:00.000-08:00

Well, it seems that Autumn just isn't ready to enter this world yet. We thought that I would be induced this weekend. However, due to the fact that I had only dialated one centimeter last Thursday, they didn't want to risk it. They said there was a good chance the induction wouldn't work and I would have to have a C-section. No thanks! I will be happy to pass on that. So, I now have an induction date of Dec. 29th. I feel like the Grinch and poor Lee has suffered through some extreme emotional outbursts this past week. Hopefully, it is a sign that she is coming soon.

Lee is thinking Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. He has said this all along. I couldn't think of a more perfect Christmas gift! Tomorrow we will go back to the doctor. Hopefully, we will have some promising news. :0

Very Blessed!

2008-11-03T16:56:00.000-08:00

Today has been a true blessing for me and my family! I went to the doctor today and they hooked me up to a monitor. I had to lay on my back hooked up to a machine that monitors Autumn's heartrate and movements. It also monitors me for contractions. Despite the fact that I layed there so long I had a catch in my back, everything looked extremely good. No contractions yet! Dr. Yarbrough informed me that I would start having bi-weekly visits and that I would have another ultrasound Thursday. She said I would probably be sick of seeing her very soon. However, I feel extremely blessed to have a doctor who cares enough to make sure my baby is safe. I know I wouldn't have to go as often, if it wasn't for the whole gestatoinal thing. But, I like knowing that I can listen to and see my baby more often.

The SPED team gave me a wonderful baby shower this afternoon Another great blessing to have such wonderful co-workers. We received lots of cute onesies, blankets, towels, etc. Gina made me a "diaper cake" and they hung a clothesline of bibs and socks across the room. Autumn is going to be a spoiled baby. Nana also bought her a birthstone braclet. Fancy!!! Lee and I can't wait to put all goodies to use. :)

Thoughts on Labor and Delivery at SGMC

2008-10-28T19:06:00.000-07:00

So, Lee and I just came home from a 3 hour childbirth class at Southern OBGYN. Crazy thoughts are spinning through my head as a result, or it could be sheer exhaustion .... I've been up since 4:15 a.m. They showed a video clip of a lady giving birth. It totally grossed me out. I do not think I want to see what is going on when Autumn comes along. This brings me to my point..... The Labor and Delivery rooms at SGMC are very depressing. The one pillow they give you is as flat as a pancake. We will definetely be bringing pillows from home. I was also extrememly disappointed to see that they did not have a rocking chair in the room. I have heard that rocking can be a very good way to take your mind off of contractions. Needless to say, I am now more anxious than I was before. I'm sure that when I am actually in labor I won't care about the room or what is/isn't in it. However, I think I should have just skipped the tour.

Well, I'm off to get my insulin and crash!!! - I forgot to mention that the increased amounts of insulin really helped today. My blood sugar levels were actually pretty normal . :)

A Day at the Doctor's Office

2008-10-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

Well, today was very interesting and exciting. I spent 3 hours at the Diabetic Clinic this morning. It appears that my body just isn't cooperating with the current insulin recommendations. So, they increased my dosage at night and added shots before breakfast, lunch and dinner. My first instinct is to beat myself up over this whole diabetic mess. However, I have been assured repeatedly that it has nothing to do with what I am eating. I have actually lost 2 lbs. in the past 1 1/2 weeks. On to better news....

We had our final ultasound this afternoon. It wasso exciting to see Autumn bouncing around in my tummy! She weighs approximately 3 lbs right now. I am so thankful she isn't getting too large. I was really concerned about this because is it common for babies who are born to gestational moms to be very large. She had her little hands up covering her face. I thought maybe she was just being bashful at first. Then, I remembered that Lee falls asleep with his hand over his face all the time. I teased him and said she was going to be just like her Daddy. We feel very blessed that she appears to be very healthy at this time. Please pray that everything continues to go well for us.

I start weekly visits next week and they have already sent over labor and delivery orders concerning my insulin, if in the event she comes a little early. The ladies at the Diabetic Clinic think she will come at least a week early. No comment from the doctor though. Hopefully, Mama will get her wish and Autumn will come before Christmas, so she can wear her cute Christmas dress. :)

Surving Gestational Diabetes :(

2008-10-19T19:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday marked the 30th week of my pregnancy with Autumn. We only have about 10 weeks to go!!! I am thankful, especially considering the struggles I have been going through. I was so upset when they told me I had gestational diabetes. I have been going to the Diabetic Clinic on a weekly basis. I have followed their recommended diets perfectly. However, my body just doesn't want to cooperate (especially in the mornings) I have been on insulin for 3 days now. Lee has been wonderful. He has been giving me my injections at night because I don't like to look at the needle. It doesn't really hurt. I just don't like to look at it. After, being extremely depressed about this for the past two weeks, I have realized that there is a reason for everything. I know that all of this will be worth it in the end when we get to see our sweet little girl. Until then, i just have to take it one day at a time.