First Easter Dress

So it stormed miserably on Easter Sunday this year so we thought it best to wait to take a pic of the "Official First Easter Dress".  Our sweet neighbor was so nice to let us borrow the garden in their front yard.   Good thing for us they didn't charge us for the sitting fee:)  I told her it's so well kept that it doesn't even look real...Since it was a reshoot I am not dressed in my Easter garb.  It's enough to get Missy ready nowadays.  Daddy is missing in these photos because he is the photographer and by the time he spends his energy making Caris smile, he is not in the mood to pose himself.  We understand...we also appreciate and love him for putting up with Obsessed Momma and our favorite Egg.  

Just in case one can't tell that our emphasis on Easter is The Lamb, here is a reminder!

Easter '09

So this was Caris' first Easter.  Hubby and I had to talk about what all we wanted to instill in Caris regarding the meaning of Easter.  We wanted her to know that Easter was about The Lamb and the sacrifice Jesus made for us and not about the Easter Bunny.  To be honest, I've always hated, yes, I hated all things that has to do with bunnies.  It all goes back to when I was a child and watched this scary movie about these ugly, beady eyes, furry animals that grew so big, I'm talking about "ginormous" size bunnies that took over an entire city!  I know most people think they are cute and cuddly but not me.  So the Easter Bunny and I never got on very well.  To this day, every bunny I see, real or fake, I think of that awful movie!  To make it worse, it has invaded into one of the most holy of holidays for me which is Easter.  So to say the least, I associated Easter with new beginnings, and the new life we have in Christ due to his resurrection during this time of the year.  Thank you Lord, for dying on the cross for us!  He is Risen, indeed!

So as you will see from the pictures below, the Easter Bunny is nowhere to be found because it's all about The Lamb.  Also, I've been skimming some blogs regarding cupcakes since I'm already looking for some ideas for Caris' first b-day party.  I know, her birthday is in Aug. but these dates have a way of creeping up on you.  So I got inspired from looking at some blogs and created some Easter treats using the whole Spring theme. Keep the inspiration coming!

Nest Bundt Cake

These were edible "grass"

Gotta have the M&M's eggs.

Individual Peep cupcakes

Caris drooling over these cupcakes

Next year Baby, you can actually eat one.

Check out her smirk.

Excited about egg coloring

Of course we have to taste everything

Lamb Easter basket.

Since she is curious about the cell phone I thought I would get one of her own.

License to drool with the car keys.

Egg coloring, hummmm...

Work it Girl!

We normally don't wear our bathing suit in the tub but Daddy says "noooo naked pics of Baby!"

Reading The Easter Story Book from Granny.

Lammy is bigger than her!

Prayer for the Burchfields

Last weekend we got together with some sweet friends of ours, Nancy and Randy Burchfield. How we know the Burchfields is a funny story.  When Patrick and I were engaged in '05 we wanted to go through a Pre-Marital Class at the church we were attending.  Well, we signed up at the last minute so we were the last couple so to speak.  Well, they always have a mentor couple to mentor each engaged couple.  So at last minute the Facilitator literally hunted the Burchfields down in the church parking lot that same morning of our first session to see if they would mentor us.  So they literally inherited us at the last minute!  Some relationships you know God has ordained.  

Two years ago Nancy was diagnosed with liver cancer and have been going through chemo treatments.  This brave one has been a trooper dealing with it all.  But God has worked mightily in their lives.  While going through the chemo treatments, she was able to help both of their daughters plan their weddings and see them get married last year.  The weddings were 6 weeks apart!  We would periodically get updates of how she is doing.  The reports have been good so we have been very thankful.  Recently, Nancy has elected to have surgery to remove any remaining remnants of cancer cells in her liver as a precaution.  They will probably end up removing 10% of her liver.  Her surgery is on April 21st so we welcome any prayers coming her way.   We know Jesus is the Great Physician and our faith is in Him for her complete healing. 

Withe the Burchfields at an Astros game

Spring Has Sprung

Like a crazy first time Mom, I've been reading baby books about babies' developmental progress so we have been working with Caris on her crawling and sitting skills.  I was getting a little discouraged because she didn't seem like she was too keen on acquiring either skills.  But this week...you guessed it, she woke up one day and decided she wanted to rock back and forth on all fours and that was that.  She no longer wants to stay in one place anywhere anymore.  So it's time for this baby to spring into action!

Daddy came home one day and saw this pic, he didn't know who was the kid and who had more fun that day...all he could say was "you put our child in a bucket as a planter?" But doesn't she look Springy?

That a Girl...sit up nice and tall!

On all fours and on the move.

Toad mode...ready to rock it.

March Madness

"March Madness" at our house is making sure we take time out to take pictures of our beloved Azalea bush in our front yard before they disappear as fast as they arrive, which is around two weeks time frame.  Besides gazing at our Azaleas, one of my favorite things to do this time of the year is taking a trip to Brenham to see the Bluebonnets.  Hopefully, next year we will be able to take Caris to the Blue Bell Creamery, a must with the little ones.  There's nothing like Spring Time in Texas and these beautiful flowers are a sight to behold...

Now you see it...

and now you don't...so sad but a great way to teach Peek-A-Boo!

Our Spring Chickadee

Happy Spring!

Obviously, Mommy needs to learn a few tricks in making daughter smile.  

There's something about Daddy that ALWAYS makes her smile.  I think it's a hidden message between the two of them - a conspiracy, I tell ya... "don't smile for Mommy"

Hubby is really taller than me except...uh-hum, he's working on his posture and sitting up straight! (the teacher in me coming out a little)

Such a bright day that I had to pull out the shades and Caris found it hard to look into the sun.

Discovering Bluebonnets for the first time.

A little overwhelmed by all the blueness...and probably wondering if she could taste them.

Cuteness in a package

Shy of 8 months, she had not quite mastered the sitting position so don't mind the seat.

Field of Blue

Sweet antics

As I was looking at these photos I realized that Caris is growing up knowing no other color than PINK since that's all she is wearing these days...Well, whenever she is old enough to pick out her outfits then she will come to the conclusion that we girlie girls go through life looking through pink glasses!  Here are some recent pics of her.  Some are impromptu and others are just random.  But they all are bringing out her personality.  

Here she is flirting with Jonathan on a playdate...Daddy says she doesn't know what she's doing.  Oh really???  Mommy thinks she knows exactly what she is doing!

Some things you have to let her find out for herself...boys are shy when it comes to cutie pies!

This was a hand me down outfit from another cutie pie friend, Emma.  But Miss Thang made it her own!

How 'bout a profile shot.

Matching is very important.

This posing bidniz is for the birds...

Nice day to check out the hood.

Showing her Astros spirit.

Grandma gave her this Asian outfit...don't think she was too enthusiastic about it.