A Great Saturday

We went to the City Gardens today. It was a blast!! They have all of these fountains that the kiddos can play in and we weren't the only ones with this idea today. There were so many kids there but it was great! There were lots of cool sculptures and waterfalls. They had water shooting out of the ground, which was by far the best part. It was also right in downtown so the scenery was great.

We couldn't quite figure this out. We think it was a stop/walk sign just blown up. We kind of thought, um,....waste of MONEY!! The figures were walking in slow motion, so at least it was entertaining.

It actually took Anna a while to warm up to the fountains. She was pretty scared at first but she got the hang of things. By the end, I think she had a pretty good time.

Doesn't she look like Miss Hollywood!

Great view, huh?

This was a crazy sculpture. You could actually climb inside and look out the eyes but Anna was ready to go so this was the best we got. We had a really good time. We also went swimming for the first time this year after Anna's nap. She was in HEAVEN!! She absolutely loved it. The pool felt great too! It's been a great Saturday.

She's All Grown Up

My baby girl is all grown up and is a big girl now. This morning, I was eating my cereal with Anna on my lap and she was playing with the squares of my cinnamon toast crunch. She dipped them in the milk, then licked the milk off and threw the wet cereal on the ground. By the time I finished my bowl, she was quite happy. So, I got up and let her sit there by herself. As I was cleaning the kitchen, I looked over and realized, my baby isn't such a baby anymore. It was one of those moments that I'll never forget. Even though she was only eating cereal, it just seemed like she has come so far. Just one year ago, she was so helpless. Now, she can sit in a big chair, feed herself, and be perfectly content.
Being a mom has totally changed my life. I never thought it would be SO rewarding. These past few months, we've had our share of "learning experiences" and some of them have been really, really hard. I feel like as parents, we've come far too. We now know how she needs to be loved and how she needs to be disciplined, and it truly has made all the difference. I have really had to make myself in tune to what is going on in her head. We've taught her a little sign language too. It has helped TREMENDOUSLY!! I would definitely recommend it. She tells us what she needs all the time by signing it, even though she can't quite say it yet. We've really been blessed with a sweet, funny, strong willed little angel. She has brought us more joy than we thought was even possible. We just love our little Anna girl.

Doesn't she look little in that big chair?

Swim Time

It is H-O-T here in St. Louis so Anna and I seized the day. We have a little inflatable pool in our backyard, so I filled it with water and popped her in! She absolutely loved every second of it. I think she splashed her feet the entire time she was in there. I had to take her out after about 30 minutes because it was past nap time and while I was getting her some milk, she kept running to the door, looking outside and begging to go back. I think this will probably turn into an everyday activity. It was fun to see her so happy.

Grant's Farm

Josh and I took Anna to the petting zoo again yesterday. We had SO much fun. Anna loved waving at the cows and the buffalo as we rode by them on the tram. We bought a milk bottle for a dollar and let Anna feed the baby goats. They licked her toes and nudged her tummy and she laughed hysterically. I think that was probably her favorite part. We also got to feed the camels. She seemed to just be in heaven. It was a really nice day too! Enjoy the pictures!!

Anna's New Boyfriend

We got to watch our friend's little boy, Max, while they went out on a date. Let me tell you, he is adorable. We just couldn't believe how friendly he was. Anna would never go to someone like he did. Max just acted like he knew us. It was a blast. Anna had been having an absolutely awful day and Max definitely cheered her up. They just played and squealed at each other the whole time. I think he intrigued her. We had a fun time watching them. It made us excited to have two kids. It will be nice once our kids are old enough to play with each other. Hopefully they will play together and not fight.

Doesn't her hair look super curly? It doesn't usually look that curly but I guess that day it did.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all of you wonderful moms. This is the part where I get to brag a little. I have the most wonderful mom in the world, hands down. She has always been my best friend. She has always been there for me, and now that my family has grown, she loves Josh and Anna and our little baby to be with all of her heart. Her example has meant more to me than she will ever know. Now that I have Anna, I think about how I should raise her and what I should do to help her along the way. I often get my answer from thinking about what my mom would do and what she did for me. She has been a great leader for me and I adore her. Josh's mom is a special person in our household. She passed away when Josh was eight years old, but her love lives on. I love hearing Josh talk about her and how kind and gentle and loving she was with him. He remembers feeling lots of love from her, as only a mother can give. She was a very special woman and we're sure she is happy on the other side looking down on us. Mother's Day is a great time for us to really reflect on her life. We love her dearly and are excited for the day to reunite with her again. This is a picture of Lynn holding Josh when he was just a baby. Our little Anna Lynn is named after her.

Linda is Josh's stepmom and is a wonderful woman. We both love Linda very much. She has been so kind to us and shown us so much love. She is a great example for us to look to. She is always thoughtful, sending us cards and calling us often. When we went to visit the Lees in California for Christmas, it was amazing to us how hard Linda works. She really keeps the house running and does it with a happy face. She makes everyone feel welcomed and loved. So, Happy Mother's Day to everyone!!

I had the BEST Mother's Day ever!! Josh made me feel so loved and so special today. As you can see, he gave me the royal treatment. I got beautiful roses, a Mother's Day balloon, and a delicious breakfast in bed. Not to mention, some great new maternity clothes and my favorite candy. He really did good this time. I know it's Mother's Day but I feel so lucky to have such a wonderful husband who treats me so right. I just love him.

I don't think I could love being a mom more than I do. I can't imagine my life without my little Anna. She's got me hooked. I adore her. I love that I can be her mommy and stay at home with her. It is such a blessing to be a stay at home mom. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. There is just no love like the love for a child. We've realized that more and more. Even when it's really hard, we still love our baby girl with all of our hearts. She just brings us so much joy. This time next year, we'll have two children and we can hardly wait. I am just the luckiest girl in the world.

This is the first of many pregnancy shots. Josh bought me a new Sunday dress for church. All of my maternity clothes I had with Anna were winter. Now I'm going to be big and pregnant in the summer so I had to go shopping. I didn't mind that too much. ;-)

I had lots of people ask me today if I was expecting so I guess I really am showing. Now that I know it's obvious, I feel like I can embrace the maternity clothes.

Our Little Power Ranger

Do you see any resemblance??

Anna thinks she is so tough! She's really just a softy.
We take walks with Anna around our complex several times a day but half way through, she must be carried or else. So, this is Anna and Daddy looking cute!