Our first Christmas with our new addition! (Pardon her sad face, she is teething)

Mom- this picture is for you! We missed you! Here are all your babies.

Me....and little me!

We visited my sweet friend Mica and her husband and their baby....Ryder.

I think it was love at first sight!

Charis and Ryder

WHO DOES SHE THINK SHE IS!!!???

Charis has never held a cup....until this night. I was drinking a cup of water and she kept grabbing for the cup. When I was finished I gave her the cup and she immediatly put it to her mouth. Then I put some water in it, and she really loved that.

Ugh! She's growing up.... Who does she think she is? :-)

Santa brought me a COMPUTER!!!

I have got some explaining to do.... Most of you know that I have been exclusively nursing for 5 1/2 months. Well I have had some " milk production" issues, and one of the ways to increase your milk supply (according to some lactation specialists) is to drink 1 beer. So, after trying an herbal supplement, oatmeal, gatoraide, and lots of fatty food- I tried the beer! While I was nursing. Not sure what worked, but I did see an increase in my supply and Charis is still growing like a weed.

The Masingill boys.... and their fun Christmas toys!

THINGS WE HAVE DONE IN DECEMBER......

Spent time with the Masingill's. I didn't get a good picture of all of us, but I did get this one of the girls wrestling with their dad.

Introduced Charis to rice cereal...(organic, of course!) She does not like it!

Dressed her up in this precious little Christmas outfit every other day. ( Thank you Mrs. Riley )

Enjoyed time with our friends at a " Ugly sweater Christmas Party". ( with our Sunday School class). Don't be jealous! I know we look like we are from the 80's.

Enjoyed taco soup with family..... and opened gifts- while Charis fussed all day. ( she's teething!)

Charis's first Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas!! I am rejoicing in this season of Christmas for many reasons...One, the true meaning of Christmas- the birth of our Savior Jesus! And two, because this time last year I was soooo sick that I hated life. I was 3 months pregnant with this angel, and I was absolutely sick as a dog! We didn't even put up a Christmas tree because I was too sick to even care. So, I am so thankful to celebrate with my husband this year. We are excited about being a family and starting our family traditions.

All I want for CHristmas....I already have!!

My love and ...... My love!

This shopping stuff wears her out!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Charis is almost 5 months old! She is at a stage
where she loves to interact and have lots of
attention! She gets upset if I even leave the room,
so I have learned to bring her with me! Sometimes
it is easier to just throw her in with the dirty clothes...
( in the basket, not the washer ). My hope is that she
is learning something as she is living life with me!
So here she is....doing the laundry with mommy!

What happened to my baby?? I remember when her passy took up her whole face! Now she is man- handling that thing. It's true, time flys! There is already a sense of "independence" that I see in her. What!? It's too soon. It seems like yesterday we brought this bundle of joy home from the hospital. As a mother, I am thrilled that she has discovered her hands, and that she controls them. But, secretly in my heart I am a little sad...I want her to need ME to put her passy in her mouth...or to grab her toy...

And so my journey begins... teaching her and watching her grow. How does the old saying go, " Cutting the apron strings..." Well, I feel like life will be full "cuttings". But at the end of the day, and at the end of my life- that is what I desire most. To see Charis grow and mature into a beautiful young lady who I know will live life and bring joy to others! I look foward to these years with her, I already love her more than I could have ever imagined. But I know someday she will GO and she really won't "need" me anymore, so I am devoted my life NOW to prepare her for THEN!

I thank the Lord daily for this precious gift of motherhood! " I have found my place". And someday I know Charis will find hers too.

How could you not be in love?

She is learning to roll over....

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

I wonder what she's thinking!?

Mmmmmhhh......

SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR!!! Pardon the delay, but most of you know I have limited access to the internet. So here is my Thanksgiving "shout outs"...

I AM THANKFUL FOR: My GOD, who has created all yet still loves and cares for me! My HUSBAND who truly is my soul mate....the love of my life! My precious DAUGHTER.....what a gift she is! My FAMILY!!! My best ol buddy (my MOM) who brought me into this world and has stuck beside me like glue! My friends!!! My CHURCH.... My husband's family... My HEALTH... God's word, which teaches me TRUTH in this crazy world!.... Coffee on a cold morning, funny movies, food- good food.....So much more but this is just to name a few!!

I have posted some new pictures but I messed it up where I couldn't write under each one...I don't know what happened. So, I will fill you in on a few key things to look for as you scroll through our new pictures:

• Charis eating my chin! This is her new way to give me love!!
• The picture that Woody and Charis look like twins
• Charis in her bumbo seat- she is getting sooo big!
• The one where it looks like Charis has long brown hair (it's a shirt but she likes to pretend she has beautiful, long hair)
• The look on my face when she's near :-)

draft

This is our most recent picture. It was taken today! She is soo big. We can't believe how fast she is growing. I love cuddling with her!

One of our favorite times of year is the fall. It truly is beautiful here as the leaves change.... So we wanted to capture this beautiful picture for you who live in Florida to see.....especially in South Florida. Greetings! From us here in N.A!

Go ahead and admit it......She looks NOTHING like me! I know! She really is a spittin image of her daddy, which isn't a bad thing!

This is her bumbo seat (we are borrowing from the Joneses) to help her learn to sit up. We have "bumbo time" every day. She also is learning hand- eye coordination....Everything she sees or touches goes IN or TO her MOUTH!!!

Daddy's new way of eating dinner!

Precious!! Charis at 15 weeks.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We spent Woody's birthday at the Moss Rock Festival

here in Birmingham. It was such a fun family day! We even enjoyed a carriage ride!! Woody literally wore Charis all day in the baby bjorn. She LOVED it!

Before we got on.

Charis had a long day. She still seemed to stay on her schedule though (we have worked really hard on this) and she took her 2 hour nap on daddy!!!

SNOOZING!!

The Armstrong family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I have "found my place". I love being the wife of Woody and the mother of Charis. Life is wonderful!!!

Hold on Charis!

Woody's favorite time is in the morning. Even if she is not "scheduled" to wake up yet, he will come to me with that sweet, father face....and say " Can I go get her up now?" I have learned to say yes! and forget about keeping her on schedule in the morning. As soon as he walks in her room she smiles soooo big and starts kicking and laughing. This is clearly "their time." I do love her being on a schedule, but what I love more is this daddy who wants to start his day with his baby!

Funny story! Look at the BLUE PLASTIC BAG she is wearing. Well, we were at a friends house and had a blow out. We didn't have any diapers with us (my bad, I didn't refill the diaper bag) so we had to get creative.

She does everything with me!!

Grandma!!!!

CHaris at 14 weeks

Look at her jeans!!! :-) Judy and Dave got her these! SO cute!