So I know it has been months, but I am finally posting some new pics. Life is crazy, but I love it. I love my little girl so much...I feel so blessed. We are in a difficult phase, full of temper tantrums, NO, hitting, and lots of attitude. It is as much a learning process for her as it is for me. I never thought being a parent would make me a student. I am learning patience, grace and loving life in good times and bad.

How life is changing...

I know it has been forever since my last post. Life is crazy. Having a 14 month old makes for some interesting days. We have 4 molars coming in at one time!!!! FOr those of you who have been there done that, you know what that can mean. SHe is so much fun and has such a personality. We have started the laying on the floor tantrums, and honestly, it makes me laugh. SHe is so dramatic about it. I have to walk away: one, to make sure she doesn't see me laughing, and two, for not wanting to reinforce the attention thing. I will try to get an action picture of that.
This little girl means so much to me and I am blessed for all of the good days and bad. Her name is such a picture of what she is to me...God's grace. WHat an amazing gift that is!

Tonight

Ok, so today has just been one of "those days". I don't feel very good...I'm getting a cold. I took these pics and I thought they definitely show her little personality, especially the open mouth, trying to eat the camera picture.
I have to say this. I was trying to put her down 15 minutes early so that I could take a bath. She was squirming and trying to get down and play and needless to say, I was getting frustrated. So I picked her up, again, and tried to get her to drink her milk. She looked up at me and stuck her tongue out. Then we both started to laugh. It was one of those precious moments that just melt your heart. I was frustrated and in one second, my precious daughter melted by heart. She is such a blessing and I am so grateful to have her little "antics" to make me smile. I love this little girl.

So here are some pictures from Avery Grace's first birthday. I made her the tutu to wear and I thought she looked adorable. We had so much fun with her. SHe loved the boas in the chandelier. She kept wanting to play with them. This past year has been such a learning experience for me and I look foward to all the experiences to come...well, not all of them. We are getting closer to two...Yikes!

My baby is ONE!

I look back at these pics in amazment. A year ago today, I was just getting to know my precious little girl. I had just learned the color of her eyes (blue) and her hair (then brown). I saw the ten little fingers and ten little toes and witnessed firsthand the miracle the God had given me. It wasn't until that day that I learned how much you could love someone you just met. What a gift God gives us...
I also can't post without re-telling the day of her birth...or days. I went into Baptist Tuesday night, Jan 22, at 8:00 to be induced. When I got there, I was already in labor, but nothing was dialating. I was so excited that Avery Grace was about to be here! HA! SO induction started. 12 hours later, I was 50% effaced and dialated to a ONE! They started the pitocin and immediately the pains got WAY WORSE. I ended up with an epidural by 12:30pm. Can I add that those were the best things ever invented!
So, we waited and waited. I wanted her to be born on 1-23, for two reasons: one, two three is a "cool" day, AND we have lots more birthdays really close and I wanted her to have her own day. Well, 29 hours later I was at a 10 and started to push. Then after a total of 30 hours my baby was born. On THursday, Jan 24...my dad's birthday. Now, I don't care about the day of the year. I'm just so thankful that she is here. She was definitely worth the wait and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I love my precious baby girl...I can't wait for all the years to come...I just wish they went slower (sometimes).