Sunday Mornings

Who thinks this little girl is going to have a time adjusting to life after baby? This is Ally's "Sunday Morning Treat" because I change the sheets Sundays...it's the only day (well, that's not completely true...she sneaks back into the bedroom most mornings) we let her get under the covers....she gets in this position all by herself!

On Friday afternoon I was in Target and the woman checking out before me had a 6 week old. She saw the items in my cart - about 1/2 dog stuff and 1/2 baby stuff - and told me that before her first child was born her dog was her baby - slept in the bed, had a car seat, etc - but her daughter was allergic and they had to give the dog away! She said she had a wreck the day the doctor told her they had to get rid of the dog! I know our devotion to Ally will change after baby - I just hope Ally likes the baby and that baby is not allergic to Ally!

Showered and Very Blessed

When Oliver and I first moved to Memphis, it was not our favorite place. In fact, we counted down the months till I would finish law school and we could move to Birmingham - which for someone reason we had idolized as the "perfect" city. It was a very slow process that lead to us falling in love with Memphis. It did not happen overnight. We found a great church, we joined Bible studies, I joined the Junior League, but it was not until I met three friends that my heart literally fell in love with Memphis. After one of our first dinner parties in January approximate three years ago - I told Oliver that I felt like I had finally made real friends......Since that night our close group of friends has expanded and this weekend I felt the full blessings of my friends - old and new - my friends threw me a baby shower which was literally the nicest baby shower I have ever attended - much less been the guest of honor! Everyone was so sweet to come and we got the prettiest gifts - my little girl is going to be very well dressed! I have had such a wonderful Sunday washing and putting away everything-- the nursery is almost finished!

Here are some pictures from the shower:

May's lovely house - she really outdid herself with the food, floors, and decorations - she made the letters (above)....I can't wait to meet baby Walker in June....everyone really outdid themselves on the food....it's Sunday night and I don't think I've been hungry yet:

Three of our lovely hostesses and Dorothy - EMW's future best friend/ future bridesmaid - I can't wait for them to get to know each other!

My mom made this quilt fof Elizabeth Magee....she called Oliver this past week to ask how sure we were about the name....his response - "We haven't discussed anything else." She told him she had a suprise for the shower and this was it - I was shocked:

My lovely helpers: Campbell, Mackenize, and Caroline. Their mamas must be so proud -- I hope my little girl is as sweet as these three:

And last but definitely not least -- the lovely hostesses:

I was so overwhelmed by the end of the shower that I forgot to give out the hostess gifts! So sorry sweet friends -- they will show up at your door step soon -- either delivered by me or UPS! I love each one of you!

Snow Day & Baby Prep

We got 5 inches of snow last night...it started falling around 6:00 and did not let up until the wee hours of the morning. Most of Memphis played hooky from school and work today...of course Oliver went to work even though his office was closed....I went in for a few hours this afternoon but all in all it was a very relaxing day! I love walking around and looking at all the snowmen!

This was my favorite on our street:

I liked the scarf on this one and you really can't tell from this picture but his eyes were cookies!

This is one for our little neighbors with his HUGE snowman and snow dog....the snowman was taller than me.....
Over the last few days, I have really WANTED our baby to be here. Yesterday morning before church I got really excited thinking about Easter and how we would get to take her to the Sunrise Easter Service and put out an Easter basket from the Easter bunny. Then I started thinking about all the fun spring things we will get to do - my mom's birthday, Ginny's 1st birthday, Double Decker, and my grandmother's 80th birthday in May. I was telling Oliver all this and he pointed out she'll be here for everything once she's born....of course he's right.....only 7 more weeks to wait!

We are in full baby preparation mode around here. We still don't have one bottle or diaper but at least the nursery will be finished as soon as the curtains and glider are back. If you know me you know me at all you know my "hobby" is walking....that being said the right stroller was very important....more important to me than any of the other baby "stuff"....my mom came this weekend and brought this big suprise:

Thank you Mama! I have wanted the BOB Revolution since last year when walking my friend and her 6 week old baby. My friend tripped and fell on her stroller....the stroller did not wobble at all....after that I knew it was the stroller for us!

The bedding is all on the bed..except for a mattress pad and I think we probably need more than one sheet!

Once the curtains and glider are finished, I'll post more pictures of the nursery! Only seven weeks left -- that doesn't seem like much time at all!

Farewell 2010, Hello 2011

We have rung in New Years 2011 very very relaxed...I haven't gotten dressed all day and Oliver is frying chicken, cooking cabage, and trying very hard to make me very fat! We have talked all day about how great 2010 was and all we have to look forward to in 2o11...no new years resolutions for me though....except maybe to get my body back sometime in 2011...here is a little bit of our year in review:

January: We hosted our first New Years Eve Party....I think we missed the countdown and everyone left very quickly after we realized how late it was, we found out our dear friends, Quinton and Rebecca were NOT moving from Memphis, Oliver survived his first busy season as a senior....January is defined by busy season for us...I take on a "busy season project"...last year it was studying for the MS Bar...this year it is teaching myself to sew!

February: I took (and thankfully passed) the Mississippi Bar exam....

March: Oliver went to NYC for the first time and ran into Ms. Nix on the top of the Empire State building!

April: We traveled a lot in April - to New Orleans for the American Bar Association Family Law Conference, to Baton Rouge for Thomas and Laura's engagement party, to Jackson, MS for Josh and Mary Kate's wedding, and to Oxford for Double Decker. We also welcomed our newest niece, Beckett Mills into the world on April 16, 2010 and our little friend, Ginny entered the world on April 1, 2010.....all in all...a wonderful month! Not a newborn picture of Beckett but this is a cute one:

May: I got a new job and we celebrated with a trip to Sonoma County and San Fran....as Mark Twain said, "The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco." Then there is the VERY best party of the year -- the Banner Party--a big thanks to Lisa for putting up with everyone all night.....it'll be May's turn in 2011....somehow I thankfully managed not to be pregnant over a Banner Party......

June: Our 3rd wedding anniversary-celebrated my our two year old fridge breaking and going to Iris....Oliver also finished the deck -- we figured out he's pretty handy and can build a deck out of a Honda!

July: We found out were were pregnant and spent a few fabulous days at the Nesohba County Fair!

August: A trip to the beach with my family...we got to tell them that we were going to make them grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, and uncles when my dad was cooking trout and I had just read in my pregnancy book that the one fish to really avoid was trout because of the high mercury content! Oliver spent most of the trip under the umbrella but still managed to get sun burned!

September: A trip to Florida with May and her mamma, we took a wall out between the dining room and future playroom and put up french doors, and Sam Williams joined the family.....

October: We found out we were having a girl, we went to see Wicked, we found out that our good friends, May and Patrick were expecting, and we had lots of football fun in the Grove but our Rebels really were terrible this year!

November: Dorothy Campbell joined our group and we had a very thankful Thanksgiving....loved getting to celebrate with both our families.....very thankful my parent's house survived "the fire" and that J.O. got to celebrate Thanksgiving with all five of his sons.....

December: A fun-fast-not-planned-until-two-days-before-we-left-to-NYC-trip....and a very well planned beautiful fun filled wedding weekend of Thomas and Laura.....

We can't wait for all we have to look forward to in 2011 - I told Oliver today that by this time next year we won't be able to remember what our lives were like without a baby! I am so thankful for our many many blessings and as I think back over the last year my heart is literally full....it's a great feeling!

December: