Friday Five: Anticipating Christmas

Christmas is FIVE days away! I am so excited! Anticipating Christmas has been one of my favorite things this year! Annelisa is at such a fun age for the decorations, lights, and her fascination with "baby" only helps as we prepare to celebrate our Savior's birth! 

Five things that I'm loving during this season:

• Jesse Tree: I'm in LOVE with this! Love that Annelisa looks forward to seeing which ornament she gets to touch each night! I love this new tradition helping focus our anticipation on our coming King, Jesus, in the form of a little baby! 
• Lights: I love that Annelisa demands that all of our twinkle lights stay on when we are home! I am loving getting to watch her excitement to turn on the "dights on the tee"! 
• My Family Measurements Ruler: My Christmas present is all finished and hung on the wall...you may have seen it on Facebook or Instagram last night! It's beautiful and my sweet husband made it for me! I can't wait to start marking on it!! :) 
• Baking: I love Christmas baking and can't wait to get started this weekend! 
• The workshop: Where all of Annelisa's new things are being assembled in anticipation of Christmas morning! I'm SO SO SO excited about watching Annelisa's joy this Christmas! 

Merry Christmas!

Our Annual Update on the Reverse:

In 2013…

Christopher became an Associate of the Society of Actuaries! He has been working on this credential for nine years. He has continued running, working out, playing guitar, reading many a good book, and has become Annelisa’s favorite swing!

Allison completed Bible Study Fellowship’s (BSF) study of Genesis in May and accepted a leadership role in her local BSF class as a discussion group leader for the Matthew Study this year.  She began run/walking, continued cooking many a new recipe, became much more involved in their church, and cherishes each day spent at home as Executive Vice President of Domestic Operations and Scheduling at Pailes Pad.

Annelisa has excelled in walking, running, dancing, and climbing. She is learning a new word each day! We also have learned about her egg, peanut, tree nut, and environmental allergies and have adopted an egg-free lifestyle! She loves going “bye bye” to BSF, church activities, play dates, or Target.  We are beyond blessed that God gave us her as our daughter!

Farley continues to protect Pailes Pad from many a rabbit, dog walker, the mail man, or delivery service. He has grown in his love of Annelisa exponentially throughout this year…especially as a food source!

Allison attempts to blog about life at bucketsofinsight.blogspot.com. 

{Mommy Style Field Trip} The Big Orange Pumpkin Farm, Celina, Texas

This fall I wanted to take Annelisa to a pumpkin patch to see the sights, smell the animals, and simply find some pumpkins! After several rainy weekends, we picked Saturday, October 19 to be our day to go! We decided on the The Big Orange Pumpkin Farm in Celina, Texas just north of McKinney. The weather was especially crisp and cool with plenty of sunshine. Annelisa, her daddy, and I had a fun time while on the Farm. We did all there was to do and then journeyed home with our collection of five pumpkins!

We started the morning by feeding the animals...

Then we went on a hayride to find out what happened to the farmer! 

Waiting for the hayride

Then we explored a pumpkin field... Annelisa especially liked running with her daddy! 

Then we walked over to complete the maze...

Finally, we ended our morning picking out our jack-o-lantern pumpkins and a few smaller ones to make a centerpiece inside. My little pumpkin wasn't much in the mood to pose for anymore pictures with the pumpkins! 

This picture preceded tears by moments. 

"Pick me up, daddy!"

All in all a fun, fall day with our little family. Annelisa quickly went to sleep on our way home! Looking forward to next year and doing it again!

Fall 2013 Family Photography Session

It's easy to look back and be especially grateful for the little things in my life, the small blessings God grants daily in the simplest of acts. This photography session will, forever, be one of these blessings. It was an afternoon of laughter, smiles, friendship, and family. I'm so thankful for Laura Stiller and her eye behind the camera...to capture a very busy almost eighteen month old Annelisa, her daddy, and me!

Here are few of my favorites..and yes, they will be making their way into our upcoming Christmas card! :)

Photos courtesy of Still: Life Photography
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Parker Rose Garden, Parker, Texas

18 Month Well Baby Exam

This is the simplest, easiest, most joy filled well baby exam Annelisa has had since she was born. I had NO concerns, Dr. Linh Ho had NO concerns, it was simply glorious! All Praise Be to God! I am so thankful that there's not more to write about this exam! Annelisa is growing in every way! So so so thankful!

The two big headlines from the appointment:

1. Annelisa has been growing like crazy! (see below!) 
2. Annelisa can stop taking Zantac for reflux! (Update: as of late October...she's off of Zantac completely!) 

18 Month Stats (79 weeks, September 26, 2013)

Weight: 25 pounds, 5 ounces, 75th percentile

Height: 34 inches, 97th percentile

Head size: 19 inches, 90th percentile 

Where Annelisa's been by the Stats! 

15 Month Stats (66 weeks, June 27, 2013)

Weight: 22 pounds, 4 ounces, 50th percentile

Height: 31.5 inches, 80th percentile

Head size: 18 inches, 50th percentile

12 Month Stats (52 Weeks, 5 days, March 26, 2013): 

Weight: 19 pounds, 8 ounces, 40th percentile

Height: 29.75 inches, 70th percentile

Head size: 17.50 inches, 35th percentile 

9 Month Stats (42 Weeks, 1 day, January 11, 2013): 

Weight: 18 pounds, 13 ounces, 50th percentile

Height: 28.25 inches, 65th percentile

Head size: 17.50 inches, 60th percentile

6 Month Stats (27 Weeks, September 27, 2012): 

Weight: 16 pounds, 11 ounces, 60th percentile
Height: 27.5 inches, 95th percentile
Head size: 16.75 inches, 50th percentile

4 Month Stats (18 Weeks, July 26, 2012):

Weight: 14 pounds, 7 ounces, 60th percentile
Height: 25 inches, 75th percentile
Head size: 15.75 inches, 25th percentile

2 Month Stats (9 Weeks, 1 day, May 25, 2012):

Weight: 11 pounds, 10 ounces, 60th percentile
Height: 23.75 inches, 90th percentile
Head size: 15.25 inches, 50th percentile

2 Week Stats (2 weeks, 4 days, April 9, 2012 (the day before my due date)):

Weight: 7 pounds, 10 ounces, 25th percentile
Height: 21 inches, 75th percentile
Head size: 14.14 inches, 50th percentile

4 Days Old Stats (March 26, 2012): 

Weight: 7 pounds, 2 ounces, 35th percentile
Height: 20.75 inches, 85th percentile
Head size: 13.75 inches, 50th percentile

Birth Stats (March 22, 2012):

Weight: 8 pounds, 0 ounces, 70th percentile
Height: 20.5 inches, 85th percentile
Head size: 15 inches, 99th percentile

Annelisa is 18 Months!

My dearest Annelisa,

This month was filled with so many events. As I write this, I'm looking back on this month with a smile and a tear...it was a hard month for your mommy, Grammy, GP and aunties, too. Despite the hard things of this month, you have been a daily delight and joy! Your precious hugs, snuggles, smiles, and love for us have been a bright reminder of the life we have been given here to live to the fullest glory of God!

Your first "selfie" a worthwhile documentation of your love of technology! You think that the baby monitor is 'your iPhone'....and take my iPhone at every opportunity! It's funny because all you do is tap the screen or talk to Siri, although someday soon you'll having lots of conversations with family without my assistance! You've also grown to love Face Time with two of your aunties and Grammy and GP.

Dinner with Dada

First coloring project

Afternoon snack with Farley

We brought in your Great MeeMaw's folding table and chairs that are the perfect size for you. You have enjoyed eating some dinners and snacks at this table as well as starting some crafts like coloring. It's especially sweet that MeeMaw gave this table and chairs to us when you were just a little baby, after she got to meet you for the first time. I know that she would smile and chuckle watching you navigate getting into the chairs and coloring your first pictures here. Your Grammy has memories of using this table when she was a little girl, so it's a special piece of furniture that we'll be utilizing for years to come! 

You love the water! This picture was after bath time one evening and I love that it captures you and I together. A happy moment of going about our daily routines...speaking of routines, Annelisa you are proving to be a LOVER of routines! You like knowing what to anticipate and what is coming next. I guess it's a good thing that I love routines too, so we work well together! 

This month our routine changed BIG time! With the start of school, all Fall activities started. This is your lunch container that I got for you to use once a month for our Bible Study Fellowship Lunches. Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) started in early September and it's keeping me plenty busy! I'm excited about what God will do this year as we go on Mondays for leaders' meetings and Wednesdays for class. I'm so excited to see what you'll learn from the lessons each week, and to that end what I'll learn too! You loved the songs and your children's leaders last spring! I am very expectant of what this year will bring! We also have Bible Study at church on Tuesday mornings. These first few weeks of being busy and out the door early have made nap time very important, but I think you and I are finding our rhythm for this semester! I know that I value our slower Thursdays and Fridays a ton! Just getting to have you and me time! 

This month you discovered that sitting on the stairs was a great seat for you! One particular afternoon I caught you playing with gate and having a seat! You were quite proud of yourself, and very cute too!  

We've also seen the start to the 2013 Aggie Football Season, here you are in one of your many game day outfits...it's funny to me how last year you had one "lucky" onesie and this year you have a whole maroon section in your closet. This little jersey is just too cute! These pictures are from Labor Day weekend when we celebrated Caleb's birthday! We had a full fun Saturday of swimming and playing with the Wilkerson's! 

This month you and Daddy have spent a lot of time building Legos together after dinner and on the weekends. It's hard to say whose enjoyed the time more...we'll just say that Daddy has built you some pretty incredible things to play with during these sessions! 

As it's started to cool off ever so slightly, I've loved dressing you in leggings! You are soooo cute in them! You have become very long and lean! This outfit is in 18 month size, but you are quickly outgrowing it! You are moving right on to 2T items...you need the length! You are still in size 4 shoes, size 4 diapers, and 18 month pj's. 

Singing on the front porch with mulch in hand! 

Annelisa, this month we also faced one of the most difficult processes in this life, saying goodbye to a dear loved one. I have struggled to write this monthly update letter because I know that this is the only way you'll remember what happened during your 18th month. You are so full of life and love and I am so saddened that your Great-Grandma Clark won't get to share in it with us. I am so thankful that she got to see you and meet you three times, but on the same token am so saddened that it was only three times. I wish that we would have shared more moments just the three of us, I wish that I would have taken a picture of her holding you when she first met you when you were a little baby! Saying goodbye to her has been so hard because I have so many "I wish" statements for her! The lost relationship is so hard. The coming months will be hard as I am sure that there will be many things that remind me of her and then to remember that she's not here. 

She passed on Monday, September 16, and you attended her funeral with us on Friday, September 20. You were a great trooper! You brought many smiles to those that attended and I was so glad to have you with us! I am sure that I'll tell you about her and the many memories I have with MeeMaw as you grow! She was a very active Grandma in your Aunties and my life. God has been so good to us in this process, we had a sweet moment with MeeMaw in her hospice room to have quiet conversation and watch her light up at getting to see you again! I also had the chance to tell her how happy I am that she is one of my grandma's and how much I love her. God also blessed me with an extra measure of peace in knowing she would be spending eternity with Him. September 16 was the most exciting day in her life as she got to meet Jesus face to face! 

In the midst of all of these things, Grammy, GP, and your aunties were here a couple of times and stayed with us! I think you enjoyed all the extra cuddles, stories, and playmates! You also got to meet your Great Aunt and Uncle again and see your Great Grandpa Clark, too. 

All in all, your 18th month was one that won't be quickly forgotten. It has left me with a multitude of sweet memories! Annelisa, you are such a sweet blessing in my life and I am beyond grateful to God for giving you to us as our daughter! I'm so glad to celebrate your half birthday and all that you are! 

I love you to the moon and back again! 

Mama 

Friday Five: Remembering MeeMaw

Remembering MeeMaw, where do I begin...MeeMaw is my mom's mom...one of my grandmothers. She is one of the most significant relationships I've had the blessing of having while growing up. She will be meeting Jesus soon, perhaps today. I've been consumed with a hopeful grief for her. She was placed in hospice care Sunday evening late and I had the blessing of getting to say goodbye on Monday afternoon. Nothing could have prepared me for seeing her at this place in the scope of life; however, I'm so thankful for the sweet moments God granted she and I in the quiet of her hospital room. This post is my attempt to capture five memories of her in my life.

1. Stride-Rite Shoes: I remember the store perfectly, it was narrow and somewhat small. It had these perfect kid sized bench seats that looked like stairs on either side. MeeMaw took us there to get shoes several times as children. It was always fun being waited on by the clerk and getting to sit on the benches. MeeMaw loved getting to buy us shoes. She would always smile as we tried on various pairs and walked around the store. 
2. Mothers' Day Out: I don't remember this personally, but I've heard MeeMaw tell the stories enough times that it's easily one of my memories now. When I was under the age of three, we lived in Carrollton, Texas, about an hour from her house in Arlington. Each week MeeMaw would make the drive to give my mom a "Mother's Day Out" and she and I would spend the day together. She would take me for walks around the neighborhood, feed me lunch, and spend the time with me. This was the beginning of a special relationship between she and I. 
3. Broccoli: MeeMaw loved to tell the story of broccoli and me! Apparently my love of broccoli goes WAY back...to toddler-hood! MeeMaw would tell this story anytime we were eating broccoli...picture me as a little girl, strapped into the high chair pleading for "mo...mo...mo!" I couldn't get enough of the green stuff! I can picture her sweet face smiling as she would mimic my toddler voice in the story. 
4. Quarterly Visits: Our family moved away from Texas when I was three and with that move began quarterly visits. Almost every quarter, we saw MeeMaw and Papa. They would drive to us in Oklahoma or Georgia or we would come to them. These visits are fond memories now of my sisters and I in a flurry of activity preparing for them to arrive. The anticipation of what we would do while they were there. On one particular visit to Georgia, we created a "hotel" that we wanted them to check into upon their arrival. MeeMaw and Papa were good sports playing along with our plan. I'm so thankful for the time spent traveling to see us throughout my childhood! 
5. College: College was a special time for MeeMaw and me. She sent me notes and cards every other week my entire four years at A&M. It was always fun to see her handwriting waiting for me in the mailbox. Each note carried basically the same message that she loved me, was thinking of me, and wanted me to have some fun money. God provided for a lot of my "wants" through this fun money! She and my Papa also had season football tickets with my parents during my sophomore, junior, and senior years at A&M so all of my roommates had the pleasure of really getting to know my family! It was always fun hosting everyone for game day weekends and tailgates. I look back now so grateful for those times of suffering through sweltering heat or cold nights yelling for our Ags to BTHO whoever we were playing, there are lots of memories of surrounding those games and our shared love of A&M. My last memory of MeeMaw from college was the weekly phone calls between she and I. Each semester she and I would arrange a time to chat and catch up week to week. I knew her best during those four years of my life. I think she enjoyed getting to hear about all the things I was doing and learning while at A&M. Again, I'm thankful for the time spent investing and loving me. 

MeeMaw, 

I love you! I'm so glad that you are one of my grandma's! I am going to miss you terribly! I love you! I'm so thankful for everything you are to me! 

Love,

Allie