Our Christmas Tree

The weekend after Thanksgiving, we went with Nana and Papaw to cut down our Christmas tree. Lily had a great time picking out just the right one.









Lily's reaction to the finished product.

Splish Splash

Stroller Skating

What could be more fun than pushing your child in a stroller ... doing it while skating. Last week a few moms from church got together at our local skating rink for their monthly "Stroller Skate." Given our family's artificial tooth count, I am not sure why I thought this would be a safe activity, but surprisingly enough, we had a lot of fun and came through it without a scratch.

Giving me the thumbs up


Ready to go
(Lily is wearing a toboggan and leg warmers because it was kind of cold in there - I guess they don't waste money on heat since the admission was so low)


The whole gang (Hannah, Sean & Jack, Lily, Lincoln, Ethan & Owen, Jack, Carter)


Couples skate



They're over it

Just When You Think...

As in life, with babies (I am quickly learning) that you must expect the unexpected. Just when I think we have it all figured out and before we even get a chance to revel in our parenting accomplishments, we are jolted back to the reality that we are just along for the ride and are completely at the mercy of that sweet little girl.

Many of you have heard us (ok, me) whine and strategize about Lily's sleeping habits. Well, for one blissful week we had it all under control and had moved on to focusing on getting her to eat baby food. Then came a weekend away and her first tooth. Although I was excited to see the little thing poking out of her bottom gum, that tiny little sign of development has totally thrown any normalcy in her routine out the window.

I am now left with deciding each day if she is hurting or if she has just gotten out of the habit of taking naps alltogether. Today it's the latter so she has been "working it out on her own" (our pediatrician's way of saying "let her cry") this morning trying to get her first nap in. I let her "work it out" for the arbitrary time limit I put on us and she used every second of it. I then gladly went to her rescue and she fell immediately asleep on my shouler and then slept in her bed for a meager 10 minutes while I took a shower. So by then it was time for her to eat and we gave up on the nap for now.

So did I cave? Absolutely. But at least I know that there will always be another chance to try napping independantly and it is too hard to pass up those outstretched chubby arms who, for this fleeting time of her life, illustrate her sole desire for me to reach back.


Here are a few pictures of us camping last weekend. It was too cold for Lily, but Cooper had fun!

Homecoming & Halloween

Halloween Party with Church Friends

Our Wednesday night Life Groups met together for a Halloween party and we went as a family campsite. Blake was a tent, I was a camping chair and Lily was the campfire.

Halloween with the Hirscheiders

On Halloween, we met Blake's family for Nana's birthday celebration and Trick-or-Treating. The kids all looked great in their costumes and Lily had a blast just sitting back and watching all her cousins.


Lily and Eden tagging along behind the big kids on the Trick-or-Treat trail.

All six ready to go!


Reese, Micah & Lily


HU Homecoming

We went to my parent's for HU's homecoming. Lily was sick most of the weekend and had trouble getting her naps in but Griffin kept her entertained most of the time. We took advantage of the beautiful weather to snaps some fall pics of the two cousins.



Griffin singing to Lily.

September Wrap-Up

It has been a great month and Lily has grown and changed so much! She is now 5 1/2 months old. She weighs 14 lbs and is 24 inches long. She has started babbling more and this week has begun saying "dadada" a lot - she acts so proud of herself like she is really telling you something important. She has also begun playing "where's Lily" by covering her face up with her blanket and then pulling it off. She does, however, forget how to get it off sometimes and begins to cry. I have a video of this I will post if I ever get it off the camera! She is almost sitting up by herself - now she can balance for about a minute before toppling over.

We finally weaned her off the 3-4 a.m feeding and I think that has really helped in her sleeping. She is down to waking up only once for her paci and then gets up for breakfast about 5:30 or 6.

We are constantly amazed - and entertained - by this precious little girl and are so thankful to be so blessed by God.

this is my new favorite picture




this was right before she got tired of having Cooper on her feet and began kicking him


first time in the real bath tub


pruny toes


this dress was my mom's and was hand-sewn by my great-grandmother


cave tour in kentucky - this is not that great of a pic, but I thought it was cute of her bundled up in the cave

coffee break


waking up in the hammock

Go Hogs!

A couple of weeks ago, our good friends from pharmacy school came over to cook out before the Razorback game.
Peyton & Ashley brought Lily a Hogs outfit to wear on game days!

Eli & Amie

Lee & Kara

Home Movies

Kisses from Cousin Eden.



Cousin Griffin Rocking the ABCs.



Talking to My Fish.

Bedtime = Playtime

After trying just about everything except Ambien, I am open to suggestions on how to get Lily back to taking a good nights sleep. We've tried putting her to bed super early, keeping her up late, giving her rice cereal, letting her cry and pretty much are out of ideas. I wonder if she is cutting a tooth? She isn't overly cranky, but just doesn't seem to sleep very soundly anymore. It is completely a toss up lately how well she will sleep and some nights are much better than others. She is still napping well, so we have that to be thankful for.

Here are a few picks I took with my phone. I'll post some more from the camera soon.

Lily ready to go on a morning run. Yeah for fall temperatures!

Her first baseball game - watching the Travs play the Naturals.

Later on at the Travs game when she started getting sweaty and tired.

A Few Firsts

Lily's First Campout
Friday night the four of us went camping on a lake with our friends Sarah and Daniel and their dog Jersy. Lily and I slept in our larger tent on an air mattress and the boys (Blake & Cooper) slept in a smaller tent. Lily did great and enjoyed being outdoors. She did come home with a couple of mosquito bites, but what camping trip would be complete without that anyway.

Lily packed in the car raring to go!

Waking up in the tent.

Hanging out with Sarah.

Watching the campfire.

Playing with Daddy.


When we got home, there was lots of cleaning up to do and Lily was ready to pitch in. We have been talking a lot about our expectations going into marriage in our Bible class and I must say that I never expected to find my husband and baby doing the dishes together. I am a lucky woman!

First Time in Bible Class

Blake and I finally decided that it was time to take Lily to the nursery during Sunday School. I had no idea that she was already big enough to go to class so I had to get a few quick pictures of her with my phone before I got too much in the way of her teachers. They said she did great and was an excellent student (okay I added the excellent student part, but she obviously seems to be listening carefully and taking it all in!).

Singing about God making the cows with Mrs. Lois.