THE NEWMAN NEWS

Yes Happy!

2011-06-26T13:23:00.003-05:00

We have so much to talk about since the last post. Things just got very busy, and the blog was so behind that it was too hard to pick up where we left off. This is BJ writing, by the way. I told Lindsey that I though I should just jump in and catch everyone up and then we can try to get back on track. It's been great to be able to look back and see what Elle looked like at certain times, and what she was up to. We want this again for our kids!

So much has happened since the last post, and I really don't know where to start! Elle turned ONE in February. She had a Mickey Mouse party because that was her favorite cartoon (from as early as 4 months old, she would smile so big when Mickey came on TV!). A lot has changed since then because now, Dora and Caillou are her favorites, along with the Back Yardigans and Handy Manny.

We celebrated her first birthday by taking her to Chuck E. Cheese for the first time on the day she actually turned one.

We had a big Mickey Celebration at our house the following day! Elle couldn't get enough cake!

Elle had been taking baby steps throughout the month of February, then on February 25th, she walked for the first time! She has been unstoppable ever since!

We had a fun Easter watching Elle hunt Easter eggs for the first time.

Dying eggs

About to hunt Easter eggs at the Westhaven Egg Hunt!

In May, we took a family vacation with Lindsey's parents and brother. We were planning on going to Destin, as we usually do, but the oil spill changed the plans. We opted for the East Coast and went to Hilton Head. We had a great time, and so did Elle! She was old enough to actually experience the beach this year, and we had lots of fun.

Picture with Nana and Poppa at Salty Dog Cafe.

Making sure daddy sees all the "ba" (birds). These were one of her favorite things to say and watch then.

As you could see in the pictures, the Newman family was about to have a new addition!We work with another Pharmacist who's wife is a photographer - Ashleigh Peak. She did some Maternity pictures/ 18 month pictures of Elle in late July just before Brigg was born, and they were amazing!

Last few weeks as a family of 3!

Elle is 18 months!

And then there was Brigg....on August 11, 2010 our lives changed forever, again, in a wonderful way! We welcomed our baby boy, Brigham Jones Newman, into the world. He weighed 8 lbs/8 oz, and was 21 inches long. Names are always a hard thing for us to decide, but we both liked the idea of calling him Brigg, and since this was so close to BJ's intials (BJN), we decided to use Jones as his middle name. Jones is Lindsey's paternal grandmother' s maiden name. So there you have it!

He was perfect!

Brigg definitely takes after Lindsey's side of the family. When he was born, he reminded us so much of her brother, Landon. Lately, he has been looking like her mom, Debbie, especially when she was a baby. I always say that the only thing he inherited from me is a cowlick on his hairline on the back of his neck! How funny is that?

Kerri King came and took a newborn session of Brigg, and our new family of four!

Elle did great with the addition of little Brigg, although she was spoiled rotten with all the extra attention she got from her grandmothers. We tried to get in several "Elle only" trips/playtimes so that she still felt special, and try to normalize things for her a little bit!

We took her to the zoo for the first time....

The fall just flew by with having a newborn, and a toddler on the go! Before we knew it UT Football season had come and gone. (Too bad the season stunk, again - but Elle and Brigg still cheered them on!)

Our sweet two month old!

Elle and Brigg getting ready for Halloween....

We also made our yearly trip to the pumpkin patch...

Little Bo Peep and her Sheep make their debut on Halloween!

Before we knew it Thanksgiving was here. Our family has been greatly blessed!

This Christmas was filled with sickness, unfortunately! All four of us got a potent stomach virus and spent the days before AND after Christmas so sick! To top it off, we had to take Elle to the doctor Christmas Eve, and found out she had an ear infection in addition to the stomach virus! We still enjoyed watching Elle and Brigg open presents, and spending time with family!

Here is what Santa left for Elle and Brigg on Christmas morning!

The best big sister holding her little brother on his First Christmas!

This Christmas was extra special in a couple of ways, not only was it Brigg's First Christmas, but it was also a WHITE Christmas!

Elle is two? No way!

Instead of gifts we decided it would be great to ask for donations for St Jude children's hospital. We have been so blessed to have two healthy children and I cant imagine the heartache some families experience. Elle raised about $400 thanks to our friends and family. We honored to make contribution in Elle's name. I hope Elle will be proud of that when she is old enough to understand.

After Elle's 2nd Birthday, we took her to get her very first haircut! They cut off around 3 inches, and Lindsey about had a heart attack!

Happy Valentines Day! Our little valentines before their 6 month/ 2 year well check!

This is Brigg trying out cereal for the first time in February! He has really put on some weight since we have introduced solids. He is a big eater!

You are probably wondering what the title of this post "Yes Happy" means. This is my favorite thing that Elle says now. I guess she started it about 2 months ago, so around the time she turned 2 yrs old. She will look at me with the most serious face and say "daddy, happy?" and I will say "yes, daddy is happy, is Elle happy?" to which she responds "Dis (yes), happy too!" I love it when she says this. It actually just makes me stop whatever I am doing and realize how happy I am. It's so easy to get caught up in the daily grind and not take a moment to realize what you have. I am thankful I have Elle to remind me of that.

As for Brigg, he has been such a good baby. He had some probles with reflux/colic/milk allergy but once we got that straightened out things have been great. He really loves his Johnny Jumper! This has to be his favorite thing. His favorite toy right now is a this Giraffe named Sophie and a bath toy that is combo duck/cow, strange - I know.

Wild Child

2010-03-02T22:03:00.003-06:00

We Wish You A Merry Christmas!

2009-12-22T23:23:00.004-06:00

He's making a list and checking it twice.....

2009-12-20T17:18:00.010-06:00

Santa Claus is coming to town!

Last weekend, Santa Claus visited us in our neighborhood, Westhaven! It was so neat! Instead of having to wait in lines like you do at the mall, we just got to pick the time that we wanted to visit - then just show up at the Residents' Club. This fun visit was complete with snacks and juice! Definitely much more kid-friendly! :)

Getting ready to see Santa!

I have been such a good girl this year!

So here goes the visit with Santa..... Don't let the pictures fool you!

"Hmmmmm.... Who is this strange man?"

"I'm not sure I like this!"

Sooo, here's what really happened.....

Poor baby! I know I am not nice for posting that, but I couldn't help it! She made us laugh because she knew something wasn't right! She lost it when Santa looked at her and started talking! We'll have to see what happens next year! ;)

I was so excited about that weekend, not only did Santa come, but it was Franklin's annual "Dickens of a Christmas," and also the lighting of the luminaries in our neighborhood - complete with carolers, hot chocolate and Christmas goodies. To my disappointment, we didn't get to participate in anything except going to see Santa because Elle wasn't feeling well. This was the weekend before we found out she had an ear infection. On Sunday, Elle ended up sleeping the ENTIRE day. This had never, ever happened! Elle barely even naps, and does well to sleep 10 hours at night - we knew something was definitely wrong! I am just so relieved she is feeling better, though, so it didn't matter that we had to miss out! I will be so glad when spring is here - hopefully our entire house can be free from sickness for a while!

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree!

2009-12-19T22:57:00.009-06:00

So, I was thinking that Elle probably wouldn't pay much attention to the Christmas trees in our house this year - I was soooo wrong! Instead, they are pretty much the reason she started crawling forward (we are no longer going in reverse!) several weeks ago! haha! BJ and I spend our days chasing her around, trying to catch her before she steals an ornament or tries to pull the tree over!

Our main tree in the living room has a few ornaments made of foam balls wrapped in ribbon that are perfect for her to play with since they aren't breakable. I tried to strategically place them around the bottom of the tree for her!

My little ornament stealer - caught red handed! ;)

How can you say no to this sweet little face?!

Here is Elle's favorite tree! I got her a little pink tree for her bedroom. I had a lot of fun decorating this! Elle loved this tree so much that she pulled it completely over a couple of weeks ago! uh oh! I have seriously re-decorated this tree at least 10 times!

I think Elle might possibly design Christmas ornaments one day! I can't get over how much she studies them!

These trees have no ornaments, so she leaves them alone, of course! I guess I should have thought about having just trees and lights throughout the house! :)

"Baxter, I already told you - these pictures are just supposed to be of me!"

Here is my little elf helping me wrap away! What a good little helper I have!

"We have how many more to wrap???"

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! Christmas is less than a week away! Unbelievable!

Our Home for the Holidays!

2009-12-18T20:34:00.012-06:00

Wow, it has been a crazy 3 weeks! I have been wanting to blog more, but besides dealing with the busy holiday season - we have had a sick baby on our hands! I think we FINALLY have it figured out (after 3 whole weeks of poor Elle being miserable!). When she went to the MD for the 3rd time in 3 weeks last week- they discovered that her left ear was infected. I was really starting to get worried because Elle hadn't felt well since Thanksgiving day, and no one had any answers as to what was wrong with her! It was horrible. Basically, her doctor thinks she had a bad cold, and possibly even H1N1, that led up to the ear infection. Elle is on her 5th day of antibiotics, and is doing much better! It is so great to finally have our baby back!

It has been so much fun getting ready for Christmas this year. This year is extra special because it is Elle's first Christmas! I have added several new decorations this year, thanks to Elle! :)

I am sooo excited to finally get to use my "Cookies and Milk for Santa" set this year! My mom got this for me about 10 years ago, and put it back for me until I needed it! ;) Thanks mom! We'll have to give Santa a little snack this year when he stops by!

Here are Elle's "First Christmas"ornaments! Kerri King took Elle's 9 month/Christmas photo shoot back in November - this was one of our favorite pictures! They turned out so cute! I'll have to scan the Christmas card that Kerri designed for us - she is so creative! It turned out really cute!

A little ballerina stocking for the princess!

I kept seeing this cute picture frame everywhere I would go, and loved it - so I broke down and bought it! I am excited about displaying a picture of Elle (and hopefully other little ones!) in it each holiday season!

And this is my absolute favorite!!
I think this will be a neat way to remember Elle's first Christmas, and we can use it every year for cookies, and other goodies.

I had passed by Third Coast Clay in the Factory several times, and didn't really pay much attention to it, because I just always associated it with something that kids do - painting pottery pieces for birthday parties, etc. Then, BJ and I passed by it while we were at a Christmas Market at the Factory, and we decided to check it out. I saw all of these really cute ideas about using kids handprints and footprints to do all different kinds of Christmas designs! They carry all different kinds of pottery - everything from ornaments to coffee mugs. So, we decided to paint Elle's hands and feet (slightly stressful, but fun experience!), and use her prints to make a reindeer.... and her mama attempted to paint the rest! This is a great gift idea for grandparents, too! (Elle just might be giving something similiar as Christmas gifts this year! ;) )

BJ and I always dread putting up the wreaths outside, but we finally got it done! This year we added lights. Each year, our neighborhood does luminaries, along with a Holiday Home tour one weekend in December. All of the neighborhood streets are lined with luminaries - it is beautiful! Since we were pretty much the only people on our street without outside Christmas lights in previous years, I decided it was time to try them! Hopefully we'll find an easier way to string them next year! This took forever!

I made this wreath for our front door - I just got a real wreath, painted the "N" and added the ribbon to it. I LOVE real garland, and trees, too, and dream of having them in my house one day - but I just can't imagine cleaning up the mess right now while having a baby crawling around!

So Thankful.....

2009-11-28T23:07:00.018-06:00

for many things this year! There are too many to name, but there are three things that I am especially thankful for this Thanksgiving.

1.) Our little Turkey, of course!

Thank you to one of my mom's former students, Jessica, for Elle's cute bib and hat!

This year was Elle's first Thanksgiving, and I can't describe in words how special this day was! It felt so amazing to be holding the most precious gift from God in my arms this year. Just when I think I can't possibly love Elle anymore, my love for her grows even more each day! She is the light of my life, and I don't know what BJ and I ever did without her! She is definitely our entertainment now, too! So much fun! Thank you, Lord, for our sweet baby girl!

Elle on her first Thanksgiving!

At work, we dispense infertility medications, and I am reminded everyday of how blessed I am. I just don't understand why God allowed me to have a child, when there are others out there who have waited so many years, and are experiencing so much heartache right now. I am so undeserving. He blessed me with an easy and healthy pregnancy, and most of all - a healthy baby. I haven't taken a day of my motherhood for granted, and I thank Him that I know what it feels like to read that positive pregnancy test, what it feels like to have contractions, what it feels like when a baby kicks while in the womb, and what it feels like to give birth to a sweet little life- all such precious moments that some people never get to experience!

2.) Health and Family

My heart has been so heavy for all of those who have lost loved ones recently. Thank you Lord for protecting my family and keeping us healthy!

Our first Thanksgiving as a family!

BJ's grandmother passed away a few weeks ago. This was BJ's last living grandparent. We got Elle's middle name, McCaslin, came from her. Elle never got to meet her, and I really regret this. She had been sick for several years, and was living in a nursing home. I'll be honest and say that we never got the courage up to bring our new baby into that sickly environment to visit, and I would give anything to change this now. If I had tried harder, we probably could have found a way to make it happen under better circumstances. It is so easy to tell yourself that there is always tomorrow. This was an unfortunate reminder to me to live everyday as though it were your last. Each day is a gift from God, and we never know when we will be called home!

3.) God's gift of Eternal Life!

In a world where nothing lasts and things are always changing, we have hope! God is eternal, and He has promised believers eternal life!

When BJ and I moved into our house a few years ago, we invited both of our families to our home for Thanksgiving dinner. I think it is safe to say this is now a Thanksgiving tradition because it stuck! Each year, we end up having about 20 family members over for dinner. Needless to say, if the kids keep coming - we will need a bigger house soon! :) We really enjoyed spending time with everyone! Here are some pics from the night!

Elle with Uncle Landon

Elle with Nana and Poppa!

Elle with Great-Grandma Rita!

Can you tell that Elle is loved just a little bit?! ;)

Here are the 2 little munchkins of the family - Elle and Emma!

We love our little princesses!

It was nearly impossible to get a good picture of them together!

TAKE ONE......

(tried to give them ornaments to help them smile....FAIL!)

TAKE TWO.......

(Elle didn't like her shoes, so we had to take them off! Emma says, "What now, Elle?" haha!)

TAKE THREE.....

How sweet is this?! Finally, a keeper!

Deck the Halls!

2009-11-20T01:35:00.005-06:00

I got my Christmas decorations out today! I love decorating, especially for Christmas! I only got about half way done, though, so I have my work cut out for me this weekend! I have got to get the house cleaned, decide on the menu for Turkey Day and get the groceries bought! Our families are coming to eat dinner at our house on Thursday. I can't wait! I have so, so much to be thankful for!

I had such great help decorating today! Here are some pics of my little helpers! :)

Elle and Baxter came to check everything out, and make sure my decorating skills met their standards!

Elle kept looking at me like I was crazy when I kept bringing boxes down from the attic!

She loved the Christmas lights!

She started dancing when I draped them around her shoulders! She didn't know what to do with herself!

Elle is 9 months old (a little late!)

2009-11-07T23:07:00.014-06:00

Elle, you have been in this world longer than you were in my tummy! It just doesn't seem possible!

Here are 9 things about Elle at 9 months!

-Still not crawling (the correct way, at least!)... but she can definitely get around! She does this backward scoot/push thing while on her belly, though, and that gets her where she needs to go!

-She loves eating finger foods and drinking from her sippy cup. When she eats, she uses both hands, but it's looking like she is going to be a righty!

-She can wave bye-bye (on purpose!) This is the cutest thing ever!

Look out Miss America!

-Her top two teeth just broke through, so she has a total of 4 teeth!

-She is pulling up on EVERYTHING! We lowered her bed last month when I walked in an saw her about to pull up to standing from her knees! Talk about a heart attack! She is definitely keeping us on our toes!

- After 9 months, we are finally on a schedule and sleeping through the night! Hallelujah! This is so funny, because if anyone was going to have their baby on a schedule it would be me. I had decided that I wanted to do Baby Wise, but this little girl refused to take naps - so I gave up after 2 weeks of trying. She was doing ok, though, and pretty much sleeping through the night up until she got the stomach virus back in September. When she got sick we were giving her fluids during the night, and this turned into a very bad habit! Mommy and Daddy sort of let the problem go on too long - so let's just say we had a looong 2 weeks of weaning her off the bottle at night. (Note to self for next time!) Now, she is doing better than ever! She sort of formed her own schedule and it has worked great! She takes 2, 1 and 1/2 hour naps during the day and sleeps from 8pm to 7am.

- She gets excited and loves to dance when Mr. Duck quacks his song or if her favorite cartoons come on TV! Look at those arms go!
(Poor Elle - I made her do this so many times trying to get it on video - I think she was over it! Oh yes, and you can hear Baxter (our dog) crying in the background - he STILL doesn't understand that this is NOT his toy! I don't know what we are going to do with him!)

-She loves to stick her little tongue out when she smiles! Soooo funny.... do you guys remember my 3-D ultrasound when I was about 30 weeks along? Well, she still has the attitude! :) Ha Ha!

30 weeks gestation!

9 months old!

- Stats: Weight 19 lbs 14oz (68%tile), Height 28 in (56%tile)

Old MacDonald had a Farm...

2009-11-01T22:42:00.017-06:00

and on that farm he had a chicken....

and a squirrel.....EIEI-O!

Here is mommy the farmer with her cute little animals!

Love this picture! The looks on their faces = priceless!

Baxter and Elle didn't know what to think about each other!

About to walk around the neighborhood on Elle's First Halloween!

Elle's favorite part of the night was when a nice neighbor gave her a bag of Teddy Grahams! She rattled that bag around for hours. I am sure she would have loved to have had a little taste, but her mommy took care of them for her! In our previous dress rehearsals, Elle's costume only lasted about 5-10 minutes. I was thinking we would be doing great just to get pictures, but she didn't seem to mind it one bit. She was a chicken for a whole 2 hours! Yay Elle!

Elle about to "help" mommy carve a pumpkin!

I ended up carving 1 real pumpkin (for the neighborhood Ghost Walk), then the pumpkins below were faux pumpkins. I think those were one of the best inventions ever! It makes the time you spent carving worthwhile when you get to reuse them every year!

Elle says thank you to the neighbor that "BOO'd" us and gave her the pumpkin hat and bib!

Thank you Nana and Granny for my gifts!

Hanging with the Besties!

2009-10-30T19:19:00.020-06:00

Here is Elle with her two best friends - Anna and Emma!

Anna (in the back) will be two years old in a few weeks. She is a good friend from our neighborhood, and Elle loves her! BJ's mom has been Anna's nanny since she was 3 months old. I don't think Anna knew what to think when Elle came along this year! She has been so good with Elle, though. She tries to be her little mommy! Anna sticks Elle's pacifier back in her mouth when she drops it and wants Elle to have every toy she has -so funny! She calls Elle " EEHHAA" :) We are so thankful that Elle has Anna to play with and keep her entertained everyday - this has been wonderful for her! We feel like Elle has the best of both worlds - a nanny (even better, her granny) who loves her and can spend one-on-one time with her, but she isn't secluded from others. She has a sweet playmate to interact with!

On Wednesday, Elle's cousin Emma (almost 5 months old) came to visit. I almost didn't post this picture because I cannot BELIEVE Elle did this when she first saw Emma! Look at that face! Pitiful! In Elle's defense, she had just woken up from a nap - so she wasn't quite with it yet! Hopefully Emma will forgive her!

After a few minutes, Elle decided everything was ok! Whew!

Aren't they just precious!

On a different note, I found these shoes for Elle at Target and I love them! I have really tried to keep Elle in shoes this fall. This has been very different for us, seeing as how she went around barefoot all summer long! With the weather turning cold, and since she *might* be walking in the next few months -I decided it was time. So, I got this girl stocked up on shoes!

Elle is definitely my daughter because she loves shoes, too....

So much that she always tries to EAT them...

and here is her sweet face when I say "no, no, no!" :)

Wish me luck. I think I am going to venture out and let Elle try different finger/table foods soon. She still loves her pureed foods in the jar, but I think she needs to practice picking up little snacks. Mum-Mums (rice cakes) are her favorite since they are easy to handle, but I think she is past these! I really dread this, but I am not sure why! I think I am just so picky about what is in Elle's food, so I feel like I need to make everything fresh for her - but there is not enough hours in the day for me to do this! I have been using Earth's Best (100% organic, GEI-free, no artificial flavors/colors/preservatives) baby food with her, and have been very pleased with it. When Elle was born, I promised that I would make my own baby food for my children - but I saw really quickly this wasn't happening! It was such a relief for me when I came across EB - they make food better than what I ever could anyway! Also, I am scared to death of food allergies! I have mixed feelings on giving Elle things like cheese just yet (even though it is listed as being ok)! Any advice from you moms out there on this would be greatly appreciated!

Enjoying her Mum-Mum!

Our Little Pumpkin

2009-10-25T16:38:00.022-06:00

There is a really neat pumpkin patch across the street from our neighborhood. BJ and I had never been to Gentry's Farm, but have been driving by it for the last 3 years. I was really looking forward to the day we would be able to take our kids. So, this was our year! I was thinking Elle was too young to enjoy it - but being the people watcher that she is, she really liked it (even if she was too little to participate in the children's activities)! She especially likes to watch other kids play. It is so funny how even babies can pick out other babies and kids!

Here are some pictures we took at our house before we heading to the farm!

Elle was fascinated by the pumpkins!

She wanted to eat them, of course!

Everything she can get her hands on goes in the mouth!

Here we are at Gentry's Farm - Elle got to go on her first hayride!

Can't wait to break out the Halloween costumes next weekend!

Baby's Got her Blue Jeans On!

2009-10-21T23:47:00.010-05:00

I found these jeans on sale this summer when Elle was about 4 months old. I remember looking at them and thinking they were sooo big - I couldn't imagine her being big enough to fit in them!! Well, here she is modeling them! I can't believe it!

Elle can't believe it, either!! :)

She loves standing up.
She isn't pulling up completely by herself yet, but she tries...

Her favorite thing to do is to "pat" the table - so sweet :)

We got Elle a wagon a couple weeks ago, and it was the best money we ever spent! She wasn't liking being confined to her stroller anymore. I was a little worried she was too small for it, but it's perfect! We have been taking her for walks on our lunch break in this nice weather, and she has so much fun. She even sings us a song along the way!

LOVE this picture!

My two sweethearts!!

Enjoying the walk!

BJ and I were talking about how much older Elle looked today! She is seeming more and more like little girl than an infant! Where has the time gone??

Ribbons and Bows Galore!

2009-10-16T22:45:00.013-05:00

Today on Kelly's Korner it was "Show Us What You Make," so I wanted to share with you what I enjoy doing in my spare time (which is dwindling these days, but I am trying!)

My mom is really creative and crafty - whether it is decorating for a bridal shower or simply wrapping gifts, she has the touch! She used to make my hairbows for me when I was a little girl, and could sew outfits if I needed them for Halloween, or whatever the occassion. I loved watching her make things, especially when I got to help out! I guess it all stuck with me because I still love anything that involves crafts, sewing, and decorating.

I got a sewing machine about 5 years ago, and just taught myself the basics. Then, this summer I bought an embroidery machine. I was spending so much money taking all of Elle's things to get monogrammed, so we decided it was worth the money! The embroidery machine is much harder to use than the sewing machine - I still have so much to learn! I have posted pictures of some of the things I have made for Elle and others. I have so much fun doing this! I have already asked BJ if I can just quit my job as a pharmacist (j/k), and open up a children's shop (my dream! But, not going to happen because I could never do it fast enough to make any money! I am such a perfectionist -I am slow!)

Paci-holders!

Elle needs one in every color if I could ever get around to it!

She is never going to give that paci up!

A Taggie!

This is a great way to use all of your ribbon scraps!

I took the bows that were used to decorate my baby shower for Elle (since they were just sitting in a drawer), and cut them up for the ribbon pieces. I thought this was a good idea - plus I didn't have to throw them away!

These are just some onesies I made to go with a pair of pants and leg warmers Elle had.

Everyone have a great weekend! We are heading to the pumpkin patch Sunday (if the weather cooperates) - I am so excited!

"The City"... Newman Style!

2009-10-11T22:31:00.027-05:00

Watching "The City" is one of my guilty pleasures! I know it is silly, with the fake reality and all, but I LOVE seeing their clothes, the socialite parties, and the trendy places they go in NYC! I have been to New York a couple times, but mainly to sightsee. When BJ surprised me with this trip for my birthday - I was ecstatic! Nothing sounded better to me - just my husband and me living the high life for a few days! ;) We got to live out our own little version of "The City"! Ha! I was sad about having to say goodbye to our sweet little Elle, but she always does great when we are away (and we are glad!) I think mini-vacations are good for us all! BJ and I are able to come back rested, and we want Elle to be able to trust others and be functional even when her parents are away!

So, BJ ended up telling me about the trip on Monday before we left on Wednesday! I think he was torn on when to tell me - he wanted me to be totally surprised (which I was!), but also give me time to get everything together. We had promised each other that we weren't going to get each other anything for our birthdays, and that we would do something special later to celebrate. Obviously, BJ didn't hold up his end of the deal! It sooo isn't fair that his birthday always comes before mine! I am always outdone!

Here are the highlights of our trip!
I really wish we had been able to get more pictures together - but it is difficult when you travel alone!

Day 1:
We arrrived at our hotel, Crown Plaza Times Square that afternoon. I would totally recommend this hotel! It is nice, and is centrally located in Manhattan - very convenient! Even better, it is beside the Hershey's store! Couldn't get any better for a girl who loves sweets! We definitely made several stops to get our sugar fix!

That evening, we went to the Gershwin to see "Wicked." Finally! I have been wanting to see this for months! It was wonderful! After the show, we went across the street to The Palm Restaurant to catch a very late dinner. We were pleasantly surprised at how excellent the food was. We are definitely going to have to try out the one in Nashville soon!

Times Square outside our hotel!

Day 2:
Three words: sleeping, shopping and U2 - it doesn't get any better this!
We slept in that morning, and it was wonderful! We have been up a lot through the night with Elle lately, so we have pretty much been walking zombies. It was so nice to get caught up on sleep! We decided to spend the day shopping on 5th Ave. We walked over to Le Parker Meridian hotel for lunch. This is an upscale hotel that has a hidden burger joint behind the check-in desk (you literally have to walk behind the curtain - crazy!) Anyone will tell you, you MUST try it! It was the best hamburger we have ever had!

Of course, a stop at FAO for Elle!

Next stop: Tiffany's!

I had been wanting to get a silver rattle for Elle since she was born. It's more fun when you get to buy it in the actual store - so glad I waited!

BJ had bought tickets several months ago for us to see U2 at Giants Stadium! I was completely floored that he had thought to do this! U2 is my absolute favorite band of all-time. Going to the concert brought back a lot of wonderful memories - the first time I saw U2 was with BJ in St. Louis just before we were engaged. Good times!

U2 - 360 Tour

It was really moving to hear U2 sing "Walk On" live in NY. I remember hearing this song so much after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and it brought back so many feelings.

Day 3:
This was our sightseeing day! We started off by taking the train to the SoHo district. This is a really neat area - lots of boutiques and restaurants! I could have spent the entire day here just looking at clothes and shoes!

We walked over to Little Italy for lunch.

BJ and me eating at LuNella in Little Italy - it was wonderful!
Can you tell yet that we love to eat - all I do is talk about food!

Busy streets of Chinatown!

We then headed down to Battery Park to see the Statue of Liberty.

It was a gorgeous day!

We took the train back uptown to see the World Trade Center site. You can see all of the construction for the new One World Trade Center building.
This is the view from St. Paul's Chapel across the street.

Later that night, we went over to the trendy Meatpacking District for dinner. This became one of our favorite areas to hang out in! We had a fun night at Spice Market (no celebrity sightings, but now I see why they all go here!) The atmosphere was really neat and the food was the best we had in New York.

Day 4:

Whew! We were exhausted by this point! I guess I am getting old! We decided to take it easy this day. We went to Pastis in the Meatpacking District for brunch, then headed to Macy's to shop. That evening, we ate and had another great night at Buddakan. Later, we took a taxi to the Empire State Building- too bad it rained! Oh well, it was still beautiful!

Here is the ".....the City of Blinding Lights..." that U2 sings about!

Atop the Empire State Building!

Day 5:

We had the hotel hold our bags because our flight didn't leave until later that afternoon. (I had the camera packed, so no pics - I totally regret this!) We headed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and then walked around Central Park until it was time to head back to the airport.

We were definitely anxious to get home to our baby girl that evening! We missed her so much! It was so fun to come home and watch her open the gifts we had gotten her in NY.

I think she and Emily are going to become good friends - they really hit it off! :)

Opening up her Tiffany's box!

Thank you BJ for the awesome trip! I can't wait to do it again! I am such a lucky girl to have a husband as thoughtful, loving, and fun as you! You are amazing! Love you!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

2009-10-05T23:02:00.010-05:00

FALL!

BJ disagrees with me on this one, but it has always been my favorite season! It is finally feeling like fall around here - the weather cooled down (if only the rain would get out!), I got my fall decorations up this weekend (despite everyone being sick - yes, BJ got what Elle had), and got the pumpkin spice candles out and burning! Love it!

Reasons why I love fall:

1) The weather is perfect - it is finally bearable to run outside, and we can actually take Elle and Baxter for walks without breaking a sweat!

2.) The colors outside are beautiful! Besides the changing leaves, it is amazing how the crisp air makes everything look more vivid.

3.) This means I have another excuse to buy hot chocolate, cider, and of course, lattes from Starbucks.

4.) Football season - not only is football my favorite sport, but it means getting to meet up with old friends for tailgates and get-togethers!

5.) Anticipating the upcoming holidays! Now that we have Elle, holidays are even more special and fun. I absolutely can't wait for her to experience her first Thanksgiving, and Christmas! (and Halloween, too!) :)

Elle says she is ready for fall!

She even got her corn teether out for the occasion!

Also, our favorite girl turned 8 months old today! Can't believe it! She is quite the character lately - she definitely keeps us entertained! She loves to talk and make noises. Right now, she goes around saying da-da-da all the time. The funniest thing is when she gets mad (e.g. putting her in her carseat, or when she doesn't get her way with your cellphone) she starts jabbering and every other "word" or so is DA-DA-DA, it sounds like she is letting BJ have it! Hilarious! We'll have to get that on video soon!

I tried to catch her on video saying da-da, but you know how that goes! As soon as you get the video camera out, they stop! I managed to catch a little... (please excuse her momma's annoying voice!)

As you can see, she is much more interested in looking at Baxter and the pillow than listening to us!

Elle's 7 month Photo Shoot

2009-10-01T11:47:00.008-05:00

Kerri King has done it again! We went for our viewing today, and we are thrilled with these! Here is just a sampling. Enjoy!

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It was a Mommy and Elle Day...

2009-09-29T22:20:00.007-05:00

but not in a good way, unfortunately! The poor baby has what seems to be the never-ending stomach virus.

BJ surprised me with a trip to New York City for my birthday last week (we had a blast - post to come when this all this craziness is over!). We left Wednesday morning and got back Sunday night. We had an awesome trip, but had a HUGE scare when I got the message from my mom that Elle had diarrhea and had vomited several times early Saturday morning. I know all children get sick - but Elle has never vomited. This pretty much sent me over the edge! BJ was on the phone with the doctor and I was on the phone with my mom, and we were all trying to communicate! Craziness. I felt so guilty that I was not home to be with my baby through all of this - worst feeling ever! I knew she was in good hands, though - so this helped us get through. My parents are apparently pros at this... they had it all under control and were already doing what the doctor was telling us to do! Thank you Nana and Papa for coming to the rescue!

We thought Elle was having a better day yesterday, but we were back to square one last night..... we had a very long night! Four changes of clothes later, we decided it was time to call the pediatrician again this morning. Dr. Myers wanted to take a look at her since she hadn't kept any formula down in almost 24 hours. The good news is that she thinks Elle is staying well hydrated and doing fine, considering the circumstances (no fever, no lethargy, etc.). We just have to keep her hydrated and wait this thing out. Apparently this stomach bug has been spreading like wildfire through Franklin. Dr. Myers said the vomiting should be over in a couple of days, but the diarrhea... well, it can last a couple of weeks. Not what I wanted to hear (especially when we are already dealing with a horrid diaper rash!)

On a happier note, since I took the day off to be with Elle, I ran to Costco to get a playmat that we had been looking at. We have hardwood floors, so she didn't have a comfortable and safe area to play in. This girl could sit and play for hours - just put her in a pile of toys, and she is good to go! The playmat was definitely a hit with Elle! She was fascinated by all of the bright colors. Hope this made her feel a little better!

Miss Observant on her new mat!

We expect Elle to crawl any day now! She just hasn't got the leg part down yet. She gets so frustrated with herself - it is actually a little sad to watch. She'll get it eventually!

I had to change her pajamas yet again after I took this picture tonight. We have had over 10 outfit changes today! This has to be a record-setter!

Elle's Baby Dedication

2009-09-22T01:14:00.030-05:00

Our little blessing!

Sunday was a big day for our family! We had Elle's Baby Dedication at Brentwood Baptist. As parents, we feel that our primary responsibility is to make sure that Elle knows her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Of course, she is too young to understand now, but this service was for BJ and me to present Elle before God asking for grace and wisdom in carrying out our responsibilities - praying that one day she will make a decision of her own to follow God. Our families drove in to be with us and to witness this special event. It was such an awesome day of worship and fellowship! God is so good! I am blessed beyond measure.

Here are the highlights of our day!

Elle waking up on Sunday.

It is the greatest feeling in the world to be greeted with this smile every morning!

This makes my day everyday - what a sweet baby we have!

Our beautiful baby girl.

Peek a boo - I see you!

Granny Faye (BJ's mom) made this silk gown for Elle!

It is the most beautiful gown I have ever seen!

This is definitely becoming a family heirloom!

Elle checking out her cake!

Elle with Granny Faye just before heading to the church.

Thank you for my gown, Granny!

Elle being presented!

Elle with Nana, Poppa and Great-Grandma Rita!

Elle wore our family's gold baby ring that has been passed down 3 generations. You can see the ribbon that we tied around her left wrist to hold it on - so precious!

Elle with Aunt Angela, Brad, Jayme, Erica and cousin Emma!

Uncle Landon and Tessa!

Uncle Phillip, Aunt Crystal and Andrew

Everyone eating at Stoney River after the ceremony!

(This is an awesome steakhouse/seafood restaurant - if any of you are ever visiting Nashville, this is a must! BJ and I love it so much we actually had our rehearsal dinner here!)

Elle had her first taste of those Gerber graduate finger foods.These were the strawberry yogurt puffs - I think it's a go (maybe?) :)

Opening gifts - Elle loved the tissue paper, of course!

Our Sweet Family!

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Proverbs 22:6

Lindsey's Tutu Couture

2009-09-21T23:30:00.014-05:00

Wow, what a busy, busy week the Newman Family has had... well actually, busy month is more like it!! It has been a madhouse here! I keep thinking it is still August, but we are nearing October already. Where did September go?? We took Elle to Kerri King's Studio on Thursday to get her pictures made (I am thrilled about these - she was just precious!) We go back next Thursday, October 1st, to view the proofs - check back next week for pictures! BJ and I ran the Franklin 4 the Cure - 5K in our neighborhood on Saturday (got up at 6:30 AM and ran in the rain, but hey at least we finished!) Then on Sunday, we had Elle's Baby Dedication at church. It was an awesome service, and Elle had a big time visiting with family. (Huge post to come with plenty of pictures!) What a wonderful weekend we had!

So, on to my subject of tutus! In my quest to find Elle a tutu for her photo shoot, I finally came across one I liked in the baby section of the Sak's Outlet (I wanted a fuller one in certain colors.) I probably paid a little more than I should have, but I was in one of those moods where I didn't really feel like shopping around, and wanted to avoid ordering one online since you never know what you're going to get! Well, once I bought it, I realized that it was made using a pretty easy concept. The best part is that there is no sewing involved! I ended up making one that looks almost identical to the one I bought, and all of the materials only cost me around $8.00!

Can you tell the difference?

I made the orange one and bought the purple one. I am excited about this! I can now make Elle one in any color - for pictures or for her to play dress-up one day. (All little girls need several, right?!) I just thought I would share this idea, especially for those moms on a budget!

How to make a tutu:

1.) Go to your local fabric/craft store (like Joann's) and get about 3 1/2 yards of tulle and a 1-inch wide (or similiar) elastic band.

2.) Cut the tulle into (approximately) 6 x 19 in. rectangles. Cut the elastic down to about 18 inches unstretched. (This fit my 7 month old daughter's waist, and should stretch out with her into her toddler years.) The ends of the elastic can be overlapped a half inch and hot glued together on both sides to form a ring.

3.) Simply tie the tulle in a knot around the elastic with the tails facing the outside of the skirt.

4.) Keep scrunching the pieces together as you add on each knot, so they are pretty tight - this is what makes the tutu fuller.

Voila! The finished product!

I am not going to lie, cutting the squares can be a little time consuming - but don't worry about them being perfect. You can't tell in the finished product. You can use scissors to shape up any unevenness once you have finished.

Wait, Who's 28??

2009-09-15T22:27:00.011-05:00

BJ turned 28 on Monday! Happy Birthday! As most of you know, I am 8 days younger than him. I always give him a hard time about being "old" during that one week I am still younger than him. :) I just think it is the craziest thing that we pretty much share a birthday - don't you? I knew from the time I first met him that we would have a lot in common - but this was down to a tee! I guess this explains why we are so much alike!

Since BJ and I both had to work on Monday, we celebrated his birthday over the weekend. We met Erica at Buca Di Beppo for lunch on Saturday (best fried mozzarella ever!). We came home and watched the rest of the UT vs. UCLA game (NOT good!) and ate cheesecake. We have a good cheesecake recipe, so I decided to make him one (if it involves baking, I am on it!) On Sunday night, we went to one of our favorite restaurants in Franklin - Wild Ginger (we love, love, love their sushi - seriously, it's the best in Nashville). I was hoping we would be able to venture out in Nashville to a place we hadn't tried, but Elle wasn't having a good day!

Elle says she'll take some of that! Move over daddy!

I love to bake, but don't do well with springform pans! This Bundt-pan Cheesecake (basically an upside down cheesecake!) is pretty easy and always tastes great!

Elle with Erica!

Elle was cracking us up here - she doesn't know what to think about her new teeth sometimes, and she just keeps feeling them with her tongue! Silly girl!

V-O-L-S Go Vols GO!

2009-09-08T22:26:00.008-05:00

IT'S FOOTBALL TIME IN TENNESSEE!!

Tennessee's Biggest Fan!

(I actually made this outfit for Elle. I am going to post some how-to blogs next, for those interested!)

We went to Knoxville over Labor Day Weekend to see the Vols open the season with Western Kentucky. We had been looking forward to that first game for months. What an awesome game! The big win was icing on the cake to the wonderful weekend.

With Kristen and Brian before the game.

We had a fun night in the Old City with my old sorority sisters, Kristen and Celeste, and their boyfriends.

(me = sunburned!)

August: A Month of Firsts!

2009-08-31T23:26:00.018-05:00

Well, I know I am being one of THOSE moms in this post right now.... going on about what my child can do, when these really aren't important "firsts"! But, sometimes I just look at Elle, and I am like, "How do you do that? You are just a baby!" Since this blog is going to be part of Elle's scrapbook one day - I must document everything, right? ;)

First bath in the grown-up tub! Since Elle is sitting up so well, and getting heavier by the minute (oh, my back!) - it was getting almost impossible to give her baths in her little pink infant tub. She has a blast splashing and playing with her toys!

First time in the restaurant highchair (this was at Carrabba's)!

(sans the FloppySeat because her mama was not prepared!)

This moment came way too soon!

She LOVES to play with napkins at the table. Why do I bother bringing her toys?!

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First shopping spree!

This girl is a huge Mickey Mouse Clubhouse fan! We decided to take her to the Disney Store a few weekends ago. Oh my! As soon as she set her eyes on Minnie Mouse, she had to have her. She actually started crying when we tried to put her back. And yes, we had to get Daisy, too, because it was buy one/get one half off! All I have say is daddy's in trouble! What is he going to do with us girls??

First time on the playground swing!

She'll be playing with her neighborhood friends before long!

(Notice that she has enough hair to wear bows now! yay!)

Gotta Love Lazy Saturdays!

2009-08-31T23:06:00.009-05:00

Still in PJs at noon!

Uncle Donnie came to visit this weekend, and we had so much fun together! He even picked up my toys everytime I threw them on the floor (just so I could throw them down again), and offered free pacifier-return service. What more could a baby girl ask for???

Let the Teething Begin!

2009-08-31T22:30:00.011-05:00

Elle has not one, but TWO teeth coming in! A couple of weeks ago, you could feel the top of one coming through. I was very surprised when I checked her gums out and saw the tops of two little teeth! So cute! Can't wait until she can eat little finger foods!

Surprise! I have two little teefers!

Future Titans Cheerleader!

2009-08-14T21:45:00.012-05:00

Nice heel stretch, Elle! :)

Actually, I was trying to get some pictures of Elle in her cute pajamas before we put her to bed, and then she just started posing. I thought it was pretty funny! I think she was trying to get out of going to bed! Smart baby....it worked!

I LOVE these PJs! I wore them when I was a baby!

Silly baby!

But why do I have to go to bed now?

Elle is 6 months old!!

2009-08-11T01:10:00.009-05:00

I can't believe our baby girl was born 6 whole months ago, and that in 6 more months we will be celebrating her 1st birthday! I guess the saying is true, "Time flies when you're having fun!" Of course I want Elle to grow, but I just wish the clock would slow down a little! Being a mother is so bittersweet!

Everyday with Elle is a new adventure, and it is so exciting to watch her reach each milestone. She has changed so much these past few weeks!! The transition from 5 months to 6 months has definitely been the biggest so far. She is eating many solids now - squash, sweet potatoes, peas, applesauce, pears and bananas. The only thing she doesn't really care for at the moment is carrots, and I am positive it is because they aren't sweet enough! I think she is going to have a sweet tooth, just like her momma! Also, Elle loves to be the center of attention at all times - she the princess, of course! She is certainly developing her own little personality. We are having so much fun with her!

Here's to you Miss Elle! Happy 6 months!

My absolute favorite!! Elle laughing is the greatest sound in the world. Almost anything can make her laugh - she is such a happy baby!

She can cheese it up for the camera, talk and make all kinds of crazy noises! She loves to have dance parties in her exersaucer! I tried to catch her on camera before heading to church last week. She was a little camera shy at first....

Elle LOVES water (bath, pool, anything...), so we decided to get her a kiddy pool for the deck for the times we can't make it to the neighborhood pool. She has started splashing around - look at her go!

She can blow bubbles on command!

(actually, just when her Great-Grandmother tells her to - she has the magic touch!)

Everyone look out - there is a reckless driver on the loose!

Look, I can sit up all by myself!

Our pretty girl!

Good Times with Old Friends

2009-07-28T00:45:00.013-05:00

I cannot believe the time finally came for my 10 year High School Reunion! Oh my gosh! I can't even decribe the feeling! I remember graduating high school thinking that I would be so old in 10 years (only a few years away from the big 3-0!) Ha! Well, here I am and I must say it isn't bad at all ;)

Actually, the reunion made me stop and think about my life these last 10 years. I just never knew it was possible to be this fulfilled, this happy! I married the love of my life and I became the mother of a beautiful baby girl - I couldn't ask for more!

The Girls!

We spent Friday decorating, and it was so awesome to get this extra time to catch up with everyone. Oh, and I have I mentioned yet that I have the best husband EVER? BJ was there with us at 8am on Friday to set up, watched Elle for hours while my mom helped me print programs, went to the reunion that evening, helped us take down until 2am Sunday morning, then went back Sunday for more clean-up! Whew, we were exhausted!

Sunday was Family Day at the Park

Elle playing with Jillian!

Summer Vacation 2009

2009-07-11T10:27:00.038-05:00

We went to Sandestin last week, and had so much fun! Since my family met us down there, we decided to get a house in Caribe this year. We joked the whole time that Elle had 7 parents on the trip ;) It was soo nice to have the extra help so that BJ and I could get a little break!

Here are some of the highlights of the week:

Beach shoot!

Elle's 1st ocean experience - a wave got her, and she was NOT happy!

Hanging out in the pool - Elle's favorite!

The Family - Landon, Tessa, Nana, Poppa, and Great-Grandma Rita with Elle!

Getting a little R & R!

(This was Elle's getup for the week on the beach! ha!)

Our sweet baby girl!

About to walk to the beach with daddy!

Another beach shot with mommy!

Happy 4th of July!

We wrapped up our trip up at Baytowne Wharf for all the holiday festivities!

As you can see, we had one worn out baby on our hands by the end of the week! Looking forward to next year!

One Year Ago Today....

2009-07-02T10:54:00.008-05:00

BJ and I found out we had a little one on the way! It was a day that changed our lives and one that we will never forget.

I had gotten a positive home pregnancy test 6 weeks earlier, and to say the least, we were ecstatic! I immediately called my doctor to see if I could come in the next day to confirm the test. Much to my disappointment, they told me you have to be 8 weeks along before you can come in - WHAT??? (yes, this was the first of many, many things I had to learn during the pregnancy - looking back, I was CLUELESS!) Luckily, we were leaving for Destin 6 weeks later, so I was able to bump my appointment up by a week. So, July 1st it was! Unfortunately, the days of being on cloud nine were cut short. Only four days later, I had an issue come up and the MD said I was probably miscarrying. They had me come in so they could make sure my blood was not Rh negative (I didn't even know my own blood type prior to this - I told you I was clueless!), and therefore rejecting the baby. Basically, they confirmed this was NOT the case and sent me on my way. They told me miscarriages were common with first pregnancies, and that there was absolutely nothing they could do about it at this point. Our hearts were broken. Those next 5 weeks were the LONGEST weeks of my life - was I pregnant? wasn't I?

Sooo, the big day came - July 1st. When the doctor brought the ultrasound machine out, I really expected the worst. There was silence as the doctor moved the probe around, and then there she was!!! You could see her little heart pounding away! WHAT A MIRACLE!! It is so amazing what God can do! Thank you Lord for our little blessing!

From this (a year ago):

To this:

Which Way to the Beach???

2009-06-30T18:58:00.007-05:00

Elle has been getting ready for the beach for several weeks now....errr maybe just her momma ;) I am just soooo excited to take her to the beach for the first time!!! We are headed to Sandestin this week, so check back soon for beach pics!

Just before we headed out to Florida on Saturday, Elle's cousin Emma came to visit! We were finally able to get some pics of them together - aren't they PRECIOUS?! Elle looks so big next to Emma. I don't remember Elle ever being this small!

Emma 3 1/2 weeks & Elle 19 weeks

Aunt Angela (BJ's sister) with Elle!

Cereal... mmmm mmmm good!

2009-06-22T08:37:00.005-05:00

We gave Elle cereal for the first time on Thursday - her first solid food! She did great eating by spoon and really liked the cereal!

That was good!

In a cereal coma!

Happy 1st Father's Day, Daddy!

2009-06-21T18:53:00.005-05:00

I know I'm just little, but I'm big enough to see you're the greatest-ever daddy for a baby girl like me!

Love You Lots!

Your Baby Elle

The Little Engine that Could....Squeal!

2009-06-19T13:50:00.006-05:00

This was too cute not to post! As you can see, Elle LOVES storytime!!

10 things about Elle at 4 months!

2009-06-16T22:44:00.000-05:00

I am a litte late on this post! BJ and I had crazy busy weekend in Charlotte, NC, celebrating the marriage of Robin and Ryan (congrats guys!) We met up with Chris and Tricia Olson and their 9 month old son, Gardner, there. It was so great seeing everyone! AND NO, we didn't take Elle, and YES I was miserable toward the end of our trip! This was the longest we had been away from her (2 nights/3 days). We dropped her off in Crossville to stay with my parents, and needless to say, we were very glad to get back on Sunday!

at nana and poppa's getting ready for Cam's wedding

Here goes 10 things....

1.) Everything goes in her mouth - fist, dress (as seen above), and anything else she can grab a hold of!

2.) Mr. Leap Frog is her new best friend. He sings her the alphabet song and she thinks this is awesome.

3.) She LOVES books...her favorites are Five Speckled Frogs and The Little Engine that Could (we are thrilled about this - she definitely did not get this from her mommy or daddy!)

4.) She is Miss Observant! She watches everything BJ and I eat, follows anything that is around her, and has recently taken an interest to our dog Baxter.

5.) We have dropped the Swaddler for sleeping... and keeping our fingers crossed it stays this way :)

6.) We think she is going through the never ending growth spurt. This girl loves to eat!

7.) She can roll from her stomach to her back.

8.) She is trying to talk more than ever. Her common coos are "GRRRR", "lalalala" and "maaaa" She fake coughs every now and then - it cracks us up!

9.) Her favorite activity is playing in her Exersaucer, and the bouncer seat is back for round two -she can now reach the toy bar on it.

10.) She has become a member of the "Bug" class (4-10 month olds) at the Little Gym. We look forward to Thursday mornings - she has a blast!

Right before we headed out Thursday, we took Elle to her 4 month well check. She is progressing wonderfully! She is now in the 62nd percentile for her weight at 14 lbs and 5 oz. Unfortunately, we did find out that Elle has reflux. Dr. Myers started her on the Prevacid Solutabs, so we hope this works! We really didn't see this coming! She hasn't been spitting up much until recently, BUT it does explain the hour of "fussy time" she has during the evenings. I just thought she was tired, but apparently her little tummy has been hurting this whole time. Poor baby and shame on mommy!

Welcome Emma Grace!

2009-06-16T22:21:00.000-05:00

On June 2, 2009, Brad and Jayme welcomed Emma Grace Forrest into the family!

6 lbs 10 oz

19 1/2 in

5:49 pm

Lebanon, TN

Emma is the daughter of BJ's nephew, Brad - making her Elle's second cousin. When we went to see Emma in the hospital the day she was born, I forgot my camera (what else is new!) We stopped by for a quick visit Thursday night on our way to North Carolina. What a little princess!!! How much fun are she and Elle going to have?!? (we were hoping to get Elle in a pic, but she had passed out for the night... oh well)

Fun in the Sun!

2009-05-31T21:43:00.000-05:00

Since BJ and I will jump on any opportunity we get to spend at the beach, lake or pool - we were really hoping Elle would enjoy the water too! On Saturday, we took her to the pool for the first time. The water was freezing, so we weren't able to get her in completely - but, she sure didn't mind getting her feet wet! She was such a great baby - she even went down for naps in her stroller while mommy and daddy laid out! She is already a pro at this stuff!

Just hangin' out with daddy (and doing what I do best....sticking out my tongue!)

3 Month Photo Shoot

2009-05-21T19:42:00.000-05:00

The long-awaited day...we FINALLY got to visit Kerri King today at her studio for our viewing! As expected, her work was amazing! We had the hardest time trying to pick out pictures... here are just a few! Enjoy!

3 months, really?!

2009-05-11T09:16:00.000-05:00

Wow, I know everyone says time flies, but I did not know the complete truth in that until I became a parent! It has been busy here at the Newman house. We just had Elle's 3 month pictures made last week by Kerri King. We go view them this week, so check back soon - I am hoping to post some of them! Elle just went through another huge growth spurt! Somehow she completely missed out on wearing some of her clothes - they literally went from being too big to too small in one day. I was beginning to think her hair wasn't going to fall out like everyone told me it would, but it finally did. It is coming back in blonde. She has recently found her fist - we are beginning to wonder if she could be cutting some teeth with the way she has been acting!

I went back to work a couple of weeks ago, so Elle's Granny has been keeping her at our house throughout the week. Since BJ and I work from home, this set up has been wonderful - I couldn't ask for anything better!

These days, Elle LOVES to lie on her back and play. She especially likes her Rainforest play gym - she could play under there for hours! It is soo funny. She just squeals with excitement to the point of losing her breath! She also loves for you to talk to her. She will try to talk right back!

Elle is such a happy baby!! She has not felt well this week because of allergies, but still manages to laugh. She is a constant reminder to me to not sweat the small things in life!

My First Mother's Day!

2009-05-11T08:50:00.000-05:00

It was an awesome weekend, filled with family and great food! We grilled out with my parents and Grandma on Saturday (well, sort of...the rain ruined our original plan!). Then, on Sunday we went to Carrabba's with BJ's family. We topped it off with sushi Sunday night at Wild Ginger (my absolute favorite - thank you BJ!) I am just so thankful that God allowed me to become a mother this year! I am just very blesssed to have a wonderful family and perfect baby girl!

This picture was actually taken on Easter weekend, but I thought it was appropriate for this post! This is Elle with her Great-Grandma Rita, Nana, and Mommy - 4 Generations!

Easter Weekend at Nana and Poppa's!

2009-04-14T18:02:00.001-05:00

On Saturday morning we headed to Crossville for the Easter weekend. It was the first time Elle had spent the night away from home. I was a little stressed, but she did great! Her Nana and Poppa have everything that she could possibly need at their house- it's like a home away from home (for all of us!) Elle had a big weekend spending time with family and friends!

Look what all the Easter Bunny brought me!

Miss Tessa even gave me my very own Puffalump!! (You children from the 80s/90s - remember these ?!?) They were awesome, but for some reason FP stopped making them! Thank you Miss Tessa!

Our Sweet Family!

Since Elle was too young to enjoy dying Easter eggs, I decided to make cupcakes for her... As do most of my brilliant projects, this ended up being a bigger deal than what I thought - but at least they tasted good!

Elle with Nana and Poppa!

Thank you Nana and Poppa for a great weekend!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T22:19:00.000-05:00

We took Elle to meet the Easter Bunny a few weeks ago! She didn't quite know what to think! :) I think I was more scared than she was - that was one large bunny!

All smiles at 8 weeks!

2009-04-06T20:13:00.000-05:00

At 8 weeks Elle is smiling (finally! I have been waiting for this part!) I cannot believe how much she has grown (and grown-up!) these past 4 weeks. She is so much more alert these days, and loves to study everything around her. Also, she can hold her head up most of the time and is working on rolling over. She is doing pretty well during night, too - she wakes up once at 4am to eat. At her 2 month MD appointment last week, she weighed a whopping 10 lbs 7 oz (now in the 42nd percentile for her weight, which is a big improvement from the 18th percentile when she was born!) She has really filled out - look at those cheeks and chin!

On our way to celebrate the upcoming arrival of cousin Emma! (Thank you Granny for making my beautiful dress and bonnet!)

Being a big girl in my bumbo seat!

All that work wears me out!

Our Little Lucky Charm...

2009-03-17T09:39:00.000-06:00

Happy St. Paddy's Day from Elle!

Our Sweet Baby Girl at 4 weeks!

2009-03-05T20:37:00.000-06:00

Elle is one month old, and I cannot believe how time flies! I tear up thinking about my maternity leave already being 1/3 of the way over with (no, my hormones haven't stabilized yet - just ask poor BJ! ). I just never knew I could love something this much! It is so fun to watch her grow everyday. I can honestly say that I believe Elle is a great baby. She hardly ever cries. We are in the process of getting her on a schedule, and she is adapting pretty well (we are all sleeping in 4-5 hour stretches at night now!). I just wanted to share some of Elle's little characteristics that make her sooo sweet at one month:

1.) She is always grunting and squeaking. She has done this since the day she was born, and it still makes us laugh out loud everytime!

2.) She LOVES to eat.... I guess she didn't have a chance with BJ and me being her parents! When she takes her bottle, she drinks it slowly and savors every last bit of it.

3.) BJ and I joke that she may possibly have a mullet soon. The hair on the back of her head is growing faster than the rest. As my brother puts it... it's all business in the front and party in the back!

4.) Her favorite position is lying on your chest - especially if it is her daddy's!

5.) We believe she is going to have her daddy's blue eyes! Her eyes have gotten so much lighter these last few weeks.

6.) She loves to: swing, watch her mobile in her pack n' play, take baths (we call this her spa treatment) and most of all, sit in her bouncer seat!

7.) She could not live without her pacifier! I dread the day we have to take it away...

8.) She has had a very strong neck since the day she was born. We think she will be able to hold her head up soon!

9.) She is finally wearing newborn clothes after her 3 week growth spurt. We actually had to go out and by her preemie clothes after she was born (no one warned me of this!) She is almost ready to get out of her newborn size diapers, too.

10.) Her dirty diaper pose:

Our Little Snow Baby!

2009-03-02T08:30:00.000-06:00

Elle got to experience her first snow yesterday! It snowed a couple of inches here in Franklin, which doesn't happen that often. Doesn't it look like she is having a blast ? ;) She may not have been old enough to play, but a least she looked cute in her snow gear!

Isn't this the cutest snow baby you have ever seen? :)

Introducing...Miss Elle McCaslin!

2009-02-11T19:05:00.000-06:00

Elle McCaslin Newman

February 5, 2009
8:27 am
6 lbs 11 oz
19 1/2 inches

I obviously did not make it to my 39 week appointment on Thursday! On Wednesday night, BJ and I worked until 10 pm then went to bed. I woke up about an hour later with what I thought was a contraction. About 5 minutes later I felt it again, so I woke BJ up. He started timing them and sure enough, they were lasting about 45 seconds and coming about every 3-5 minutes. We started getting our bags together (wanted to be sure this time since we had several false alarms the previous week!). The contractions were getting stronger, so we headed off to the hospital. We arrived about 1 am and I had already dilated to 7 cm. The nurses told me we would definitely have a baby within a few hours - I could not believe it! I was in so much pain at this point, but I had immediate relief once the epidural was started :) My water broke shortly thereafter. Over the next few hours I had not dilated any further, so I was given a dose of Pitocin. Then, just a couple of hours later I was fully dilated to 10 cm! After only a few pushes, Elle arrived at 8:27 am. Our lives have not been the same since! She is absolutely perfect and we are so in love with her!

GETTING READY TO GO HOME!

Elle wore this ring that has been passed down 3 generations!

It's Wrap Up Time!

2009-02-01T23:46:00.000-06:00

We have been so busy these last several weeks trying to prepare for Baby Elle's arrival!! I don't even know where to start! First of all, I am definitely "nesting" like crazy! I have tried to organize our entire house, including the garage! (I really don't know what I was thinking, getting myself into all of this!) One mess leads to another mess!! We completed our childbirth and breastfeeding classes last weekend at Williamson Medical. During this time, we got to take a tour of the L&D floor - I was very excited to see that the new LDRP rooms are very nice and big! I have also been trying to take care of my short-term disability things at work. We pretty much finished the nursery (see pics below!) - we just have a few finishing touches to make! We bought a new camcorder and camera in preparation for the Big Debut (if anyone has any tips on using a Nikon D80 - please let us know!) In between all of this, I have been going to the MD weekly. At 36 weeks, I had dilated to 1 cm and was 50% effaced - I was so excited that I had somewhat progressed. The MD said that if I ended up having to be induced, this should really help out that things had started, at least. At 38 weeks, to my disappointment, I had not progressed any further. Over the past week, I have had 2 seperate episodes of painful contractions that have gone on for over 12 hours. The only problem is they never grew with intensity or got closer together - so, I knew this was not real labor (all of that for nothing!) I guess Baby Elle changed her mind about when she wants to arrive! I go back this Thursday for my 39 week appointment, so keep your fingers crossed!

33 week update

2008-12-29T22:40:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! We had a great one (just not sure if I want to go through the Holidays again this far into a pregnancy!) I am completely worn out and still trying to recover. We drove to Crossville to hang out with my family on Christmas Eve, then drove back to our house Christmas day to have BJ's family over. After all of those meals, I had to go to my OB appointment the day after Christmas! The first thing they did, of course, is weigh me - how unfair was this ?! I have started going to doctor every 2 weeks now. So far, the appointments have been pretty uneventful, as everything seems to be going well- they just check Elle's heart rate, measure me, and send me on my way! I was very excited to learn at this last appointment that she is in the head down position - YAY! It looks like she is getting ready for her big debut ;) I just hope she stays this way! We are just praying that everything with the pregnancy will continue to go as smoothly as it has been .... only 46 more days!

Happy New Year everyone!

Fun Times in Crossville

2008-12-22T09:01:00.000-06:00

Last weekend, my aunts and some close family friends threw me a baby shower back in my hometown of Crossville. It was absolutely wonderful - I really want all of those who helped with it to know how grateful I am! I cannot believe how generous everyone was - we received so many awesome gifts. Baby Elle is going to be one spoiled little girl! My mom had saved all of the homemade baby quilts that she had been given when I was born and passed them on to me -that was really neat and I am so glad to have those now! We are truly blessed to have such great family and friends.

Elle's Great-Grandmothers!

It's official...

2008-12-07T12:10:00.000-06:00

Elle McCaslin Newman

We finally have a name! Everyone knows that I hate making decisions, so this name thing has been so hard for me. Elle was one of my favorite names, and we decided to put it with McCaslin - which is a family name on BJ's side. I was so excited about having this finalized that I had to post it :)

Baby Girl in 3D

2008-12-05T23:52:00.001-06:00

We went for our 3D ultrasound on Thursday, and it was amazing! It truly made me realize what a huge miracle is occuring in my belly! I was excited that she was active during the session (she tends to sleep during important times and turn flips while I am trying to sleep!) I am 30 weeks along, and we saw her do everything from open her eyes to stick out her tongue. She also grinned and yawned a lot (so sweet!) From what we can tell, she is pretty much the girl version of BJ - she has his nose, lips, chin and cheeks. We think she is pretty cute ;) We are so anxious to meet her!

we thought this one was pretty funny - she's already showing off!

Welcome to Our Blog!

2008-11-30T18:05:00.000-06:00

I have been putting this off for the longest time and I finally made myself sit down to type! I love reading other blogs, and I think this is such a great way to keep up with everyone. Sooo, I decided to hop on the bandwagon! Many things are changing in our life, and I thought this would be the perfect time to show you what is going on in our world. We have been so blessed this year, the biggest blessing being that we are expecting a Baby Girl the middle of February! The pregnancy has been so much easier than what I ever expected (although I may be speaking too soon since I still have over 2 months left!) For those of you who haven't seen me in a while, the bump has definitely grown... ALOT! I can't believe how much my appetite has grown in the last few weeks. I crave Bread and Company's fruit tea and stuffed french toast from Merridee's...yum! (as evidenced below!)

29 Weeks

We go for our 3D ultrasound on Thursday, so stay tuned!