aww

My mom just sent the following pics of my most precious niece, Montana, on her visit to Lubbock to wish Grandma a big o' happy 79th birthday. How stinkin' cute are these...


Montana is mesmerized by her great Grandma ... as she should be, I always have been. ;)


Montana looks like she's gonna' skip the birthday cake and take a bite outta' Grandma's chin instead, lol


best birthday present ever ... lots of baby kisses.

cuteness - it's in the genes

Aww! Just saw that my mom had posted these two precious pics of Coop and my favorite lil' bundle of nieceness, Montana (I call her Monti).

Think that cute lil' smile has gotta' be in the blood. ;)

meeting the greats

Last weekend my lil' sis, her hubby, my mom (aka Mimi) and baby Montana loaded up and headed for a quick day-trip to Lubbock to see my grandparents. Since g'ma and g'pa couldn't make it to Amy's wedding last October, this opportunity served two powerful purposes: the meeting of their new grandson-in-law (hmm, is there such a thing??) and beholding (and literally holding) their newest great grandbaby (Montana makes No. 6!).

Make a Smilebox slideshow

little wonders

Toward the end of my pregnancy the song Little Wonders by Rob Thomas came out and immediately I was hooked. Heart and soul. The lyrics made me think of all of the moments (the good and the bad) that collided in perfect harmony in order for Coop to get here ... each a little wonder that brought me my little wonder, my most precious blessing.

Through pregnancy and now, 13 months into mommyhood, there's not been one time that I've listened to this silly little song and not been overcome by the deepest emotions which spring forth from the most beautiful part of the heart ... where the truest, purest love grows.

Now that my little sister has become a mommy, I thought it the perfect time to pass this song on to her and to her little wonder. Amy, may this serve as a reminder to cherish the small things, to savor the seconds.

blast!

Well, that wasn't exactly the expletive I used last night when the electricity went out just as I was putting the finishing touches on a fun little photo montage of my fresh-baby niece Montana … insert your own favorite 4-letter profanity and I’m sure I said it. =) UGH!

I’ll recreate the “video magic” again tonight … and save like I’ve never saved before. Until then, here’s a precious pic of Monti, all dolled up in a floral onesie and hair bow. Awww!

she's here!

birth day

yay! In just a few short hours the world is going to get a little sweeter ... my niece, Montana, is making her big debut this afternoon and I can't wait!!!! The pics below are of the soon-to-be mama and dada on their last night out sans baby (well, without THEIR baby ... Coop was there to celebrate).



Auntie Amy and Coop before she takes on her greatest role ... mommy.



Amy and Brady after their last dinner before they become parents.



The mama-in-the-making with her mama ... Mimi P.

pink stinks

Three days 'til lil' Montana makes her debut and the shop-a-thon is on! Mimi (aka my mom) is in town this weekend -- we're going to see Hairspray tonight for her birthday -- and we've been snagging last minute steals and deals to spoil baby B with! And Coop has "loved" every minute of the bargain-ben-bubba hunt.

Um, not!

This child used to be by best shopping buddy, but now, holy hell! I can't keep him in a stroller ... off the floor ... out of trouble.

By the time we called it quits yesterday, that lil' turkey was covered head to toe in filthy floor gunk. Crawling (sans socks and shoes ... because Lord knows he won't keep those on!) around the floor and snagging things off racks served as the only successful diversion from a knock-down, drag-out bawl brawl (that, he saved for the 45-minute ride home ... gotta' luv friday gridlock!).

Thank goodness Chris is on daddy duty tonight, after chasing Coop through store after store, I'm wiped! Boot camp's got nuthin' on this kid! =)


Coop stayed in the stroller with Mimi just long enough to slurp some milk and inhale a fistful of cheerios ... about 10 minutes out of a three-hour shopping trip. Nice Clark, reeeeeeeal nice.


He's learning early ... put in on the debit, please ... no cash, no stash. =)

p.s. The pic at the top is Coop de-flip-flopping some poor mannequin at baby gap. Sigh.

1 week, baby!

YAY! Just 1 week until my lil' sis becomes a lil' mommy!!!! Here's sending Amy 7 delightful days of napping, noshing and nesting ... get it while the gettin's good.

I love, love, love you lil' sister, and am so incredibly proud of you. You're gonna' be a SUPER MOM!

pickles & ice cream

This past Saturday was Amy’s baby shower. (I can’t freakin’ believe my baby sister is about to have her own baby. Aww, I’m gonna’ be Auntie Tess … how great does that sound?)

Anywhoo, we celebrated Amy’s mama-2-B status and baby Montana (aka Monty, who’s set to make her big debut in less than 4 weeks … yippee!) with a craveworthy bash centered around pickles, ice cream and lots of crunchy munchies. A couple of the more daring guests embraced the theme with open — um — mouths, topping their sundaes with yup, you guessed it, slices of dill pickle — love it! One even added olives!!

After inhaling ice cream, playing games and opening gifts galore, Amy was done. Poor mama, her Braxton-Hicks contractions were so bad she could barely waddle around to tell her guests good-bye.

With Montana making her mama so miserable, I have to say that I’m secretly pulling for a July 4th baby… that little niece of mine deserves a birthday filled with fireworks. =)


A clothesline fit for a princess. The guests customized onesies and burp cloths for baby Monty.


Two of Amy's BFFs, Dawn and Heather, demonstrate how to play the cotton ball game.

Amy strikes a pose with all of her presents. Spoiled. Spoiled. Spoiled. =)

It fits! I snagged this precious lil' pink dress for Monty months ago ... before we were even sure that she wasn't, in fact, a he!!

Look at all those babies! Monty will have plenty of lil' boys to play with and one lil' girl to show her the ropes.

A proud Mimi surrounded by some of her best gal pals, Kren, Anne and Rose Anne.

Coop takes a break from the baby bash to play with his crazy Uncle Steve.

new belly, new 'do

Aww, little sis Amy is boasting a 5-month belly bump! So cute. And, to celebrate her new, svelte figure, she got a sassy new 'do ... too cute!

it's a diva

I do believe the tide-is-a-turning. In the baby making department, that is. When I was preggars with Coop everyone just before me, with me and just after me was baking boys.

I often joked, “Does God even make girls anymore?”

It seems he does now! =) Girls are now making quite the comeback (I know five chicas who either just popped out some pink or are about to!).

But there’s one particular little diva-in-development that I’m dying to meet …

my niece (aka Montana Bolding)!!!

My little sister Amy called earlier today and announced that she and hubby Brady are having a baby girl!

While I can’t pass on the 12 gazillion boxes of boy gear I’ve been hording, this announcement certainly gives me a great reason to stock up on the frilly fun things in the baby department. Who-hoo!

I am beyond thrilled for my lil' sis. She's gonna' make a freakin' fantastic mommy (even if she doesn't know the first thing about frilly fun things! LOL! Love ya' Am).

Oh, and another darling little one I’m excited about? My dear friend Lindsay just found out this week, as well that her little man Connor (he’s 2) is gonna’ have a baby sister. I’ve already planned Cooper’s first date with her … picnic and concert in the park, perhaps?

Love and hugs to both of you!!! The world is gonna' be a much prettier-in-pink place very soon. =)

p.s. The pic is Montana's first big photo shoot! =)