3 Years Ago Today

3 years ago today I held you in my arms for the first time. You're growing up too fast for me, and yet, I am in awe of the beautiful little girl you have become...I love you Mattie Girl...

Drawing Hearts Or...

So, the other day we were drawing (actually I was being told what to draw. The usual stuff, ladybugs, butterflys, dragonflys, etc. etc.) and I decided to draw a heart. When she saw the heart she gasped and said 'Momma! Look! You are making love!'

I was a little startled at first...then began laughing. I could barely get my breath for a few minutes. She was less than amused that I laughing and not explaining what was so funny. For now, I'll be sure not to draw hearts when we have company...yeah...I probably should avoid that.

This photo was taken while we were having a great time playing and eating (and eating and eating and eating) at Debby's house. She fixed a huge feast for our little play group... Mattie's wearing Audrey's flower head band...thanks for letting us barrow it Audrey!

I love this photo!

Personality Captured In Snapshots

Often when I take photos of Mattie over about 5 minutes, I get 'snapshots' of her personality...revealed in the many expressions I see each day. This was one of those times...

So Innocent...

So Happy...

So Ornery...
So Cute...

So Funny...

And So Very, Very Sweet...
That's My Mattie Girl...

Please Obey Baba

Sometimes I just have to laugh at Mattie Gail. The stuff she comes up with. It's too bad I don't have more time to blog so you could be laughing as much as I do.

Friday I went to a girls night out with ladies at church. This happens rarely (me going anywhere without Mattie G) so, it's usually very emotional for her. So, after the tears ceased I said to her "I won't be gone too long sweetie. While I'm gone, please obey your Baba. OK?". She nods with some tears still in her eyes and says "ok mama, and you obey God...OK".

Really? Where does she come up with this stuff?! She cracks me up! And here is another moment she had a bunch of people in a restaurant laughing...and a guy sitting at the table adjacent to us offered to take a photo of the hilariousness...

Mattie girl, you make us smile!

Happy Fathers Day Baba

Who loves the doggie? That's a pretty tight squeeze! Good doggie!
Who loves their big sister?

Baba, Mattie, Ash and TJ.
Jase is still at school. We miss him in photos like this one. Hopefully he can come home this summer.

Happy Fathers Day Alan - we love you!

Molly and Me

Mattie has spent many days with Molly. Let's call the girls "Two Peas In A Pod". And I love Molly's mom, so that adds up to lots of time with the Moll-ster:).

Photos Courtesy Of Molly's Mom

Johnny Depp or Mattie?

Mattie getting her PJ's on at night is similar to lassoing a wild animal! She had her PJ bottoms on her head and we thought she looked like Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean (yes, you will need your imagination!).

All Mattie needs is a ship, crew and bird and she'll be all set!

Happy Graduation 2010!

Alyssa just graduated so we had fun celebrating her big day together!

Sarah and Mattie

Alyssa and Mattie

Disney!

This was Mattie's 6th trip to Disney. I know you're thinking we must live in Florida...NOPE! We are simply "wannabe's", which means, we wannabe in FL but we are not even close.

When I meet Jesus at the pearly gates I am prepared to say "remember when Mattie was 10mo old and she learned the sign for Jesus, 1 full week before she made the sign for Mickey Mouse?" Not that I'm trying to earn favor at the last minute...that's not possible...it's going to be my biggest THANK YOU! I have learned that most parents (including me) feel like we are falling short every day. Seriously. How many days do you lay down at night and say to yourself, "I am so awesome! I should get some kind of reward for my awesomeness!". Truth is, that is just not what we lay there and think. Many days at our house I see more Mickey Mousing around than I hoped for. And when I realized that she made the sign for Jesus before Mickey Mouse, my first thought was "at least I got something right!". But after 6 trips to Disney - I now believe this happened only by the grace of God!

We got to see Mattie's cousin while we were in Florida...getting both of the girls to look at the camera and smile at the same time - HAHAHA - that's so funny hunny....

"SHHHHH, I am trying to watch the Country Bear Jamboree"!

Family Photo on the Merry Go Round.

Baba and Mattie

We had a great time...seen lots of people we know and love. I am so ready to go back! OH WAIT - we just got home! Shoot.

The World Famous Mattie Smile

Me and my grandmaMe and my Gramps1 more Big Huge Mattie smile... You are the sunshine of my life and the apple of my eye, sweet baby girl.

Long Time Since Last Post

I'm sorry it has been so long since I posted. After a variety of things happening in our lives over the last year, my heart is ready to blog again - time will tell if I will be able to keep up.

Our Christmas family photo

And a recent picture of my Mattie Girl...

My dream is to go back and fill in the time I've missed. I do hope that happens. Thanks to all of you that have continued to check in over the last year. It's hard to believe my baby is now 3yrs 3months old!

The funniest thing she said this week:

She was excited about riding an elevator. She said several times..."cummon, lets go ride the alligator again". Oh LOL - it was really adorable!