WE HAVE A HOUSE!!!

Austin and I went in and signed an offer last night for the house we have had our eye on...today the sellers counter-offered. We counter-offered again back, and asked for the fridge to be thrown in as well. They agreed! The only difference is they asked $75 for the fridge--a great bargain for a nice fridge! :) I'm so happy, this is probably the best Christmas present ever!!! :) We are closing January 30.

Here's a link to the house we are buying:

http://ebby.com/property/13914106/2017_Arles_Lane_Carrollton_TX_75007-2206

Take a look if you like. :) It's right next to a park, and all the schools it is listed to go to, and close to the library, the pool, and close to the building where the ward is for that area. Yay!!!

Christmas Cookies

Last night for family home evening, Austin and I made and decorated our Christmas cookies. I had been wanting to do this sooner, but we have been busy with house-looking, and our little Claire. We had a lot of fun decorating and cutting cookies with some new cookie cutters we got a few weeks ago at Aldi, listening to our Christmas music! :)

Daddy and Claire being so silly. :)

Austin and his cookies!!! We each did a cookie sheet full of cookies.

Claire--pretending to help!

"Mommy and Daddy, these cookies are YUMMY!"

Claire sat and watched us decorate cookies for part of the time. She was cute as always, and so of course pictures needed to be taken! :)

"Um...I think I'm getting sleepy."

Of course we had to let Claire take a nibble to taste! :) Just kidding...but maybe she got a crumb or two during the pictures. :) Merry Christmas--only 4 more days!

Going Crazy

These cats are driving me crazy. The little kitty wants in. Gingerbread wants in. I just want them to enjoy the sunshine outdoors...and enjoy Claire to myself. I think it's time for a walk to get out the stir crazies!

Someone Thinks We're A Pet Palace

Claire is saying, "hey, what's the big idea?" And rightly so. Lately there have been quite a few kittens on our back porch (not even including Gingerbread). It seems there is someone out there somewhere who is dumping kittens with the idea that our apartment is a pet palace!
Most of the kittens have not been as little as this kitty though. This one is just a baby, probably about a month or two old. Poor thing was wet and freezing. We were not letting another pet adopt us, but Austin and I did feel awful for this baby kitty. So, as you can see, we put out some food and water, and a box with a towel in it so the kitty would stay warm and not starve. We are probably going to see if we can donate it to the SPCA...if they don't have room we'll have to give this little one to the animal shelter. I hope someone is looking to adopt a kitten for Christmas!
It seems sweet, and it is adorably tiny. It keeps going to the edge of our porch and meowing out to the air (and meowing at our door to be let in as well). I think it is looking for its mommy, poor thing. Claire and I are just having a quiet day at home--Claire is napping as I write this. I hope that she continues to be a happy girl today, since she has been having such a rough time this past week or so. Only 10 days left until Christmas eve! :)

Christmas and Kittens

We decked out for Christmas the first Saturday night in December. It was a bit of a stretch trying to rearrange everything to get the Christmas tree in, but I ended up liking how everything got settled. Here are some pictures of our decorations.
We bought some lights last year at an after-Christmas sale, and decided to put them up inside to be festive. We strung them all around in the kitchen, dining room, living room, and over our front door. It makes a perfect amount of light in the evenings without turning on any other lights but the Christmas tree.
My Christmas wreath is back up again this year. :) Also, here is a beautiful new nativity decoration Momma got me. I like how the lights light up the board at night, so it looks like it is glowing, like a Nativity Star. :)

The piano decorations for the Christmas season.

Our Christmas tree even has a few presents under it already.

This is the Nativity Austin got me last year for Christmas. I love it! It is one of my very favorite Christmas decorations.

And this is the kitten that adopted us, Gingerbread. Ginger for short. She showed up on our back porch during one of those really cold days we have been having lately. She wouldn't give up on trying to get our attention, so Austin and I finally took pity on her. Now she has her shots, and is a wonderful pet! Seems our family just keeps growing--if we aren't careful, the pets will outnumber the people soon.
She is a good kitten, and never scratches or bites. She doesn't get much attention (which I'm sure she doesn't like), but she is good anyways and leaves the hamsters and Claire alone. I just tell her, "sorry kitty, but we have a new baby that is our number one priority over here." If she had wanted someone to love on her all the time, she should have picked a different family's porch to meow on. But we still play with her in the evenings when there are two of us here to help with the baby, and have more free hands and time for the kitty.

Merry Christmas!

3 Months Old

Claire will be 3 months old this Thursday. Where has the time gone???? It seems to have flown by. This will Claire's first Christmas...and I'm so excited! I think Christmas is my very favorite season of all...what with all the music, happiness, and rejoicing in Christ, I sometimes wish that Christmas could last all year long!

Claire has gotten so big. At her 2 month old appointment, she was 12 pounds, 3.5 ounces and 23 inches long. She smiles so much now, and loves to laugh...especially when it is time for bed, and she decides she isn't sleepy. :) She can also roll from her tummy to her back, and so close to being able to roll from her back to her tummy--I just know one of these days she will! :)

Austin and I decorated for Christmas here at our apartment this past Saturday night. We turned on some Christmas music, put Claire in her bouncy chair and proceeded to deck everything out in grand Christmas fashion. The sweetest thing was when Claire started singing! A song would come on, and Claire would start making "lalala" baby sounds, singing out QUITE loudly! It was so adorable to listen to, and made the music that much sweeter. :) When the song would stop, Claire stopped. Then she would start again as soon as the next song came on. She is so smart! ;) It will be exciting to share Claire's first Christmas with her!

3 Weeks Old

My big girl is 3 weeks old today! Here she is, fresh from yesterday's bath (which she loved...she must be a water-lover like her momma and daddy!). Like her outfit?

"Duckie" in her ducky towel after her bath. She is too cute, and I adore her!

She is chunking right up and getting cuter by the minute! :) Last week at her 2 week well check-up at the doctor's office, Claire weighed in at 9 pounds, 1 ounce. What a big girl! She did so well at the doctor's office that she slept through most of the doctor's exam...even when he opened her eyes to check them! I think Austin and I got spoiled in the good-baby department. :)

Not only did she sleep through the doctor's visit, but last night Claire slept from around midnight all the way until 5:30 AM! What a nice stretch of sleeping for her Mommy and Daddy, I think. :) I think she looks especially cute in this blanket made for her by her Great Grandma Collins. :) Thank you!

Claire being sweet...sleeping! :)

Claire and her daddy. :) Austin is just so sweet with her! The other night Austin was holding Claire, and I went into the bedroom to check on how he was holding up...and found both of them sleeping away! It was too cute, I wish I had gotten a picture of it. :) Austin is one sweet daddy to our little girl.

Last week and this week my mom has been coming over every day to help me out. It seems like there is a little "fairy" around the house these days, helping out with everything I need. I will sure miss her when she isn't here, and I'm trying to "fly solo" in the Mommy-ing department. Thank you, Momma! :)

Between my mom and Austin's mom, it might be a little rough next week when I start the real Mommy job alone. Wish me luck! At least I'm fitting into some pre-pregnancy clothes these days...I was able to squeeze into a pair of blue jeans today! :) Now, only 10 pounds left to go. :)

Austin and I finally were able to get a date for Claire's blessing day--October 16, 2011. It will be very special to hear Austin take our tiny daughter in his arms to give her a blessing from her Heavenly Father. What a special time that will be. I can't wait!

Claire Brianne Is Already 1 Week Old!

Can you believe this little sleeping cutie is already over a week old? I can't! She is growing everyday...and getting cuter by the minute!

I love this picture of Claire sticking out her tongue. Isn't she silly? :)

Here is a picture of Claire posing on one of her blankets she got from her great-grandma Collins. Her outfit is from her grandma Palmer! :)

Claire making use of her best talent--looking cute!

Claire and her grandma. We are so glad that you are visiting us, Claire says! :)

What a poser. :)

My beautiful daughter.

Claire has been very good for the most part, except for one night where her tummy was hurting, and it took us three hours to finally calm her down. That was so sad, and she cried so much until she had worked everything out that it just broke my heart.

Claire in another outfit from grandma Palmer. I just can't get enough of my sweet girl's cuteness!

This week Claire's umbilical cord fell off...right on her one week birthday! :) So we were able to give Claire her first real bath that day. She did fairly well, but she did cry. I don't think she was quite sure about all of this getting a bath stuff...she would rather be wrapped up all warm and cozy in her cute outfits and blankets!

She has been eating very well. We have had a few incidents over here...all involving the diaper changing and Austin. Earlier this week Austin was changing Claire's diaper, and everything was going well...when...surprise! Claire went potty all over Austin's hand that was cleaning her up. Austin didn't think it was so funny, but I could not stop laughing.

I'm so lucky to have Claire for my precious baby daughter. She is so good and happy so much of the time. I love how she enjoys laying on your lap and looking around with her big blue eyes. I love that she sticks out her tongue when she is taking things in around her. I think it is cute the way she smacks her lips when she is finished nursing, and then stretches really big before curling up to sleep off her meal. :) I love the little rolls of fat she is getting now that she is gaining weight and chunking right up. :) She is so precious to me, and I am so lucky to be her mother.

First Pediatric Appointment

Claire had her first pediatric appointment yesterday...and she did wonderfully! Austin and I really liked the doctor that we saw (wasn't our original pediatrician)...which is good, because the practice that our pediatrician is in is big! Five doctors...we have met three of them, and liked all of them so far. Everyone is very friendly, and makes sure any questions or concerns get answered...the doctors make sure you don't feel pressured, like they are too busy to stick around. The doctor we saw was very good with Claire, and talked to her all while he was checking her.

When we went in to Claire's appointment, we filled out some paperwork before they measured and weighed her. I was so proud of Claire...she only cried for the minute it took for Austin to undress her to be weighed, and then settled right down. They let us swaddle her until they put her on the scale, which I thought was nice since doctor offices are always cold. :) She is already almost back to her birth weight! When we left the hospital on Sunday, Claire weighed in at 7 pounds, 15.9 ounces (just under 8 pounds). At her appointment she was back to 8 pounds 5 ounces! :) We are happy that all is going well. She is nursing great, and just generally being very happy. :)

The nurse gave us a sheet with Claire's measurements and percentiles. Here is how she is right now (as of yesterday):

Weight = 8 lbs 5 oz (66%)
Length = 21 inches (85%)
Head Circumference = 14 inches (56%)

We're so glad that Claire is doing well! We are just having so much fun getting to know her. :) Yesterday Austin's mom flew in to visit and help us out, and we are enjoying letting Claire get to know her grandma. Hopefully everything keeps going this well for our little one! :) Our next appointment is on Thursday, September 22 for Claire's two week checkup! :)

P.S. -- The hat Claire has on with her cherry outfit is one that I made for her while I was pregnant. I'm so glad it fits so well! :)

First Full Day at Home With My Little Claire Brianne

We are loving our first day at home with our precious little daughter! :) She has been a little fussy, but overall very cuddly, snuggly, and cute! Austin and I gave her her first sponge bath at home today...and right in the middle she did her business all over the towel! Austin and I could not stop laughing (not a small feat after a c-section, let me tell you!)...but we moved that towel over to the side, and then got some wipes to clean her up. Needless to say, bath time was over then, so we just cleaned her up, put her in a fresh outfit and headband, and proceeded to snuggle away. I think the best thing about this was the expressions on Claire's (and Austin's) face! They both just looked shocked, like someone had jumped out and scared them! :) It makes me laugh just thinking about it. :)