Merry Christmas-Zuri's 1st Christmas

I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas. Zuri was so much fun. When she woke up and saw the toys under the tree she was wide open for the rest of the day. It was like she knew it was a special day. She barely had a nap that day and didn't want to crash that night.


Our Christmas actually started on Christmas Eve, when we had Christmas with Tyler's side of the family. It took Zuri a while to open up but when she did she had a blast. Her cousin Addison got a slide for Christmas...Zuri loved it...I guess we know what she is getting for her birthday :)


Christmas morning we had Christmas together. Zuri played with her toys and Tyler cooked breakfast. Then we went over to Nana K's and Papa's house to have Christmas again.

Zuri got loads of clothes and more toys than she can play with...thank goodness we have the playroom.

Zuri and her cousins Addison and Jaxon

Zuri watched Addison for a while and then decided to join inMy little monkey!

Santa was good to Zuri

Happy Birthday Blakely

Zuri had so much fun celebrating her friend Blakely's 1st birthday. The theme was Mickey Mouse (Blakely and Zuri's favorite show to watch during the day). Blakely looked so cute with her Minnie Mouse shirt and bow. Zuri enjoyed pizza and cake and she even wore her Mickey ears. I am so glad Delana is able to keep Zuri during the day and that Zuri has Blakely to grow up with.

What I can't believe is these babies are 1!!!

The Best Husband Ever

I have the very best husband ever.! My sweet hubby surprised me with these pictures today. As most of you know we took sunflower pictures at the end of the summer with plans to hang them on our big empty wall. It has taken us forever to get them up because we didn't have frames...thanks to mom we got frames for an early Christmas present. Next was to actually get the pictures printed and then finally hung. Well...when I came home from work today this was what I saw. Tyler spent part of the day preparing this for me. I was honestly speechless.

Thanks Tyler...I love you more than you'll ever know.

Yum Mom! I love the Dinner

Zuri really enjoyed her dinner the other night. We had bean and beef skillet...Tyler's favorite and evidentally Zuri's too. Needless to say we hit the tub right after dinner.

Merry Christmas

Zuri's First Christmas Tree Zuri got an early Christmas present...her baby stroller, so she could practice her walking (I know- what am I thinking...I must be crazy wanting her to walk). She seems to be the only one around not walking yet...I think it's because her feet are too small. We are still in a size 1...barely a 2. However, she loves pushing her baby around.

Zuri loves to 'love' on things. This is her first Christmas doll.

Zuri went to meet Santa today, so we took a few pictures in front of the tree before we left.

She did so good with Santa. She did not shed a tear. She laughed and smiled; she even tried to pull his beard. She was wonderful. I am so proud of her. I love her so much. I am so thankful and blessed to have her here this Christmas.

Merry Christmas to All.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We spent Thanksgiving at Tara's house. We had a huge crowd: my parents, Tyler's parents, my Aunt Jeannie and Uncle Bob, Derek's brothers and sisters with their families, and Derek's parents. We had a really good time.
Zuri really was having a good time, she was tired...it was bed time.

All the girls-(from left to right:Erin, Jenna, Zuri, Natalie, and Addison)
Uh Oh, Zuri spotted the computer. She thinks she is a big girl, she loves to 'type' on the computer.

We are so blessed!!! I love my life. I am so happy!!! I so thankful for Zuri, she is truely a blessing from God. I love every day God gives me with her. This Thanksgiving was a great time to reflect on our many blesseings.

I love you Zuri Kate!!!

Jaxon's Birthday Party

Jaxon's 5th birthday party was at Toadly Fun. It is full of inflatables. They had one specifically for 3 and under. Zuri had a blast! She was all over the place. However...she almost got buried in it. She was the only child on it, she was in the castle. Tyler and I were watching and playing with her...all of a sudden I saw the trees start to go down, then the dragon...of coursed I yelled for Tyler to get her out, he had to climb in and get her from the castle. As soon as he pulled her our the entire castle collapsed. She would have been fine, even if it collapsed on her...but it scared me,and I'm sure it would have scared her if she was buried in it...but she just laughed as if nothing was wrong...I swear she is not scared of anything! They said that with all the kids that had jumped on it, it got pushed off the blower...I think they need to fix that :) Regardless, she has fun!!!

All tuckered out!!!

What's New

Well Z will be 10 months on Friday... I will post more pictures of her then; but here is a little update of what she is doing. She is still not walking, but is still pulling up and holding on to things to walk. I don't really want to rush her because that means she is growing up. She will hold your fingers and walk, but has no interest in doing it herself. We went for her flu booster today and she weighs 16lbs 6oz. She is saying daddy all the time and started about a week ago saying mama...but I just heard her say it a few days ago (I guess she only says it when I am away because she wants me :) ) She loves to drop things and say 'uh oh'. She knows when she sees a dog, she will say 'da, da', I guess it will be awhile before we completely get 'dog' out but she at least knows what it is. We have Tinkerbell right now and every time she seems her she says, 'da, da'.,,who knows if she is really saying dog...I like to think so :) This age is so much fun she is constantly exploring and learning new things. I love her so much and love being her Mommy.

Uh Oh...Mom Caught Me

Zuri absolutely loves pulling things out of bags, boxes, drawers...anywhere she can. She decided tonight that while I was washing dishes she would get me a towel. She got me several towels. She was really enjoying herself, I just couldn't make her stop. Besides its just a mess. If I stopped her from making every mess she tried too, that is all I would do...it doesn't take that long to clean up, and she was having fun...what was it hurting, right?

Best Buds

Zuri and Blakely are having so much fun playing together. Aren't they so cute!!

Happy Halloween

We had so much fun with Zuri on her first Halloween. We started the day off going to Zuri's friend, Ana Grace's birthday party, she turned 4. Then we ran home, dressed up and went to Trunk or Treat for our church. Zuri really enjoyed watching the children in their costumes. Then Nana K came to pick Zuri up because it was getting chilly. Zuri went to see another one of her friends, Walker. Unfortunately, Tyler and I had to stay at Trunk or Treat so we were not able to visit Walker this trip; but from the pictures it looks like they had a blast. We had so much fun and can't wait to share Zuri's first Thanksgiving, Christmas, and then... her 1st Birthday!!!

Zuri was Peebles, wasn't she adorable :)

We stopped by Nana and Papa Swain's to take some pictures with Zuri's cousins, Addison and Jaxon.

The whole family was supposed to be the Flinstones...I finally convinced Tyler to be Fred and when I went to get the costumes for us, it was going to cost $80. I refused to pay that much for grown adults to dress up...so I was a lady bug (my wings are on my back...you can't see them) and Tyler was a Hunter....how original, right?.
Sweet baby Parker and Sweet baby Nolan were adorable Tigers. They were so good while we passed out candy to the Trick or Treaters

Zuri and Walker seemed to have fun playing together. The last time Walker saw Zuri she couldn't do much but sit there. In both pictures it looks like they are saying to each other, "what in the world are you doing?"

Don't they make a great couple :)

....And Here's Peebles

We tried on Zuri's Halloween outfit and she makes the best Peebles ever, now we just have to find her Bam Bam :) I'll post more after Halloween.

1st Ear Infection :(

Well we just got back from the doctor and Zuri has her first ear infection...in both ears. Her temparture reached as high at 102.2. She is such a trooper she doesn't even act like anything is wrong. She is playing just as hard. Please pray this is not the first of many ear infections.

9 months

What a beatutiful baby, what a beautiful girl!

Zuri has already found out how to pull out everything in her room. She enjoys pulling her books off the shelves then she heads to her toy box and pulls all the toys out...then she's done and ready for something else. Oh, how fast she learns.

Zuri loves to help mommy fold clothes

Zuri's new play toy...the car seat. She absolutely loves playing in her carseat.

Zuri is growing so fast, but is still very petite. At her 9 month appointmnet she weighed 16 lbs...I guess she will always be petite. She is scooting around very fast but has no interest in walking yet. I was so sure she would be walking by Halloween, I guess I was wrong. She has just now started letting us walk with holding her fingers. I don't want to rush it because I know once she starts there is no stopping her.

8 Months

I know this is a little late. Sorry :) Here are some pictures of Zuri at Great Granny's and hanging out at home. She had so much fun at Great Granny's. She has never been fed so well as she was there. She had homemade potatoes, blackeyed peas, and beats. She was SPOILED rotten by the time she got home.

I can't believe she is 8 months old. Where has the time gone. She will be a year old before I know it.