Emily's First Camping Trip!!

We recently went on Emily's very first camping trip!! We all had so much fun!

With Uncle Brentie

With Great Uncle David

With Grandma

And Grandpa, too!

We spent the weekend at Promontory Park off of Clackamas River in Estacada. We spend two nights and 3 days hanging out together, just having fun being together! I have the best family that I could ever ask for!! I am so lucky!!

Firsts!

It never ceases to amaze me about her first year of life! How much she is learning, how much she is growing.....

She got her first little toothie last Saturday.... the cutest little toothie I have ever seen!! :) (I have yet to get a picture of it!)

Today at Erin's house she stood up, straight from the ground up, several times!! She's ready to walk, it's right around the corner!!!

She's talking more and more every day... until "ma-ma" is a little easier to say, I've become "ra-ra". Which is okay with me, she's trying!!

She has become very bored with baby food and baby cereal. She prefers feeding herself now, and she's such a good little eater!!

This stage is so fun! We are learning and growing so much every day together - I am so lucky to be here with her~ I cherish every moment that we have together, she'll be 18 before I know it ;)

My prettiest flower girl

Prettiest little daisy you ever did see....

ooooooooooooooooooooooo............

My 'lil guppy

Bub-bye!!

Emily and our cousin Erica (who's 6 months pregnant!)

Emily & Mommy!

Bath time!!

The Cookie Monster must take a bath!!

WELCOME TO THE WORLD!!!

William Michael Plavin born today, June 27, 2006 at 5:32pm! Weighing in at 7 lbs, 4 oz and measuring 18 inches long!!

Emily and I will get to meet you tomorrow and we can't wait!! We have been waiting forever for your arrival!!

We love you so much!!

(Pictures to come!)

Thankful!

She makes me laugh

She makes me smile

She makes me happy....

She gives me reason.......

I am so lucky!! :)

I have learned what "true love" truly is. True Love is being a Mommy.

It is the tears in your eyes watching her sleep and knowing she truly is an angel

It is the unstoppable feeling of amazement that she really is yours!

It is the look in her eyes and the smile on her face looking at momma waking up in the morning

It is the best slobbery kiss you'll ever have

It is the feeling of utter heartbreak to see her cry

It is talking about her nonstop, even on a special date alone with Daddy

It is adoring chubby thighs & fingers and dimply knees & elbows

It is feeling like it has been forever since you have seen her and you miss her already, after just an hour nap

It is sobbing just thinking about her growing up

It is knowing that you'll always love her no matter what

It is the deep happiness you feel just looking at her smile

It is the feeling that you can't believe she'll be one in less than 4 months, yet you can't imagine what your life was like without her

It is real, and it is forever unconditional

I have a love that is so pure, so real and so beautiful

I love you, Emily Jane, and that is forever~

Yeah for Britax!!!

After our accident, our pediatrician informed us that our infant seat was no longer safe. This is information I had not previously known! So the researching, comparing and shopping began. After reading and reading some more, we found that Britax has the safest car seats with the all-around best ratings. With the insurance company paying for our new car seat, the choice was easy! Now we just had to choose which model, and heaven-forbid, which fabric! We chose the top model and simple, basic fabric, just in case Emily ever has a little brother. (Don't tell Daddy I said that!)
I feel so good about having our little sweetie safe and sound in our car. And not just safe, that seat looks comfy!! Bonus for Emily!

Even cute when anwry....

At the Park....

Ok, so today is rainy and gloomy.... but what do you expect! Memorial Weekend is almost here!! So let's reflect just a couple of weeks back to our wonderful sunshine....

We love going to the park!!

Together at last!!

9 years and 3 baby girls later....

We're like peas and carrots!!

Yum Yum Yummy!!

Happy 6 months birthday Emily love!!

You are 6 months old today!!

Baby girl, you make my heart grow larger with love every day, even though it seems to melt every time I look at you. You have become quite the momma's girl, especially since I have been able to be home with you every day. And, oh, the fun we have had together!! I am so excited for every moment with you!!

My amazing girl! You can already sit up on your own... to play with your toys or to watch what's going on around you. And you waved "hello" at someone today, for the very first time!! I was so shocked, it was the cutest thing I have ever seen!

Emily Jane, you are truly amazing and you prove it to me every time you look at me! You have momma's heart, baby girl. You are my one true love~

Emily's 1st Easter!

With Mommy! With Daddy!

With Grandma!

The best thing about being a momma......

Is holding your sweetest love while they sleep....

Happy 5-months-birthday, my sweetest love-love!

My beautiful, growing girl

...the best 5 months of my life...

My angel sleepy-pie

How beautiful can one baby be??

So much to be thankful for.....

Here is a picture of Emily and her big sister, Zoey, just a few short hours before "it" happened. Snuggled all cozy side-by-side with their favorite stuffed animals.

On our way home from a really fun day of playing in the snow... We were traveling on Hwy 20, we were only about 5 miles out of Bend. It was getting dark, it had been snowing and the roads were really icy. I was driving really cautiously because these conditions can be really scary. This "person" (I'd love to call him several more vulgar names), decides that it would be a good idea for him (and his 3 other passengers) to pass us. Please take note that I am driving about 35 mph and I drive a Durango. It is not a small vehicle. Anyways, he proceeds to move into the oncoming lane and gets back over, I am thinking, good, because that would be stupid. Well, not more than about 15 seconds later, he proceeds to get in the oncoming lane, again. Just as he was about to go around, his 4Runner slips on the ice. Go figure, Mr. Smarty-Pants. He hits the rear left corner of our Durango and sends us spinning. We slide (in slow-motion, I swear) sideways into the oncoming lane and proceed to do a 360. As we are sliding backwards, we get to watch his 4Runner go into the ditch on and flip over a couple of times. That is a sight I will remember for a long time. Our Durango turns all the way around, goes into the ditch on the opposite side of the road. As we finally come to a stop, Rocky makes sure that we're all okay, jumps out of the car and runs to see if they are okay. He slips in the middle of the road and falls on his back. That's how slick the highway was. Anyways, he gets to them, and helps them out. They are all okay. As I watch him to make sure they were okay, I'm busy calming sweet Zoey down, she's really shaken up. If you can believe it, my angel Emily sleeps through it! As soon as Rocky returns to be with us, I try so hard to keep cool. (Which he later commented on how calm I was the entire time.) I get out of the Durango, pull my girls out, hold them and just cry.
That was way too close for me. It really scared me how one small move from someone else could have completely changed my life. I don't know what I would do had this have been any different. I wanted to rip that guys head off. Just to think of what he could have taken from me.
Thank god, someone was watching over my family that day... I am so thankful. FOR EVERYTHING. Especially for the safety my Durango provides my family!