I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream!

As I mentioned, Claire turned one last week.  On Sunday, an ice cream/swim party was held to celebrate!  We had such a good time, and I can't wait for more birthday parties for that little Chick!  I made her a super cute ice cream cone headband.  I can't really take credit for it.  My sister found it on Pinterest, and I copied to the best of my ability!  Here are some pictures of the headband and the party!

I started with rosettes made from crepe paper.

The cone is real.  I hot glued curling ribbon inside.

Sugar pearls hot glued to make the cone pretty.

The finished product!

Chick in the swimming pool!

Unsure about the candle.  That headband looks too cute.

This little one likes cake.

It was hot.  The pool was great.

Happy Birthday, Chick!

Claire is ONE!!! Today was her first birthday, and what a joy it has been to be an aunt for the past year.  Aaron and I went to my sister and BIL's house this evening to have cake and open presents.  Claire was a little unsure of the cake, but enjoyed it once she tasted it!  She had a great time opening some gifts.  She got a few wonderful gifts that I think she's going to love.  Happy Birthday, Chick!  Uncle Aaron and I love you so much.  We are so thankful that God blessed your mommy and daddy, and the rest of us, with you!  I can't wait to celebrate so many more birthdays with you!

Happy New Year!

I hope you had a wonderful New Year's Eve and that 2012 has started off well for you!  Aaron and I went to Sharon's cousin's house just south of Sherman, and it was so relaxing!  We've gone up there for the last few years, and it is so fun for us.  The year has started off well, and we've done nothing all day!  Aaron and I are going back to work tomorrow, so we wanted to just lay around today.  I made sure that all my grades were done before I left for the break.  I finished all my cleaning and laundry by the time we left our house yesterday.  Today, I've been anything but productive.  I'd say it's a good start!

I must say, 2011 was a good year for us, and I'm hopeful that 2012 is just as great, if not better.  I haven't mentioned before that my sister is engaged, but she is, and her wedding is just 9 months away!  I pray for many blessings for Monica and Matt as they prepare to be married.  I know that their wedding is going to be wonderful, and I pray that the planning continues to be fun and relatively stress-free!  I pray that Claire continues to grow as a healthy, happy baby girl.  She is so much fun, and I love watching her personality blossom a little more each time I see her.  I pray that Aaron and I are blessed with health and happiness.  I look forward to the things that God has in store for us.  I pray that your 2012 is blessed.  May you have a wonderful year!

BOO!!

I realize that Halloween was about a month ago, so this post is really late.  But, I just now decided to upload the very few pictures I took this Halloween onto my computer.  The five pictures taken were all of Claire, because she really was the only thing worth getting a picture of on Halloween.  Maybe I should have gotten one of Adelina too, because she really took the mom role to heart and wore an awesome pumpkin headband.  I love my sister, and all the things that make her uniquely her.

Claire was a ghost for Halloween, the cutest ghost you've ever seen.  I can be biased; Claire is adorable, and I made her costume.  My love for her is shown by making her costumes that result in glitter being all over me, and none left on the tulle for her skirt.

Hope you had a safe Halloween!

Cuter than Casper.

Happy BIRTH Day Claire!

Claire has made her arrival!  She was born yesterday, August 3, at 1:34 in the afternoon.  Adelina and Claire are doing great!  Adelina went to the hospital around 10 Tuesday night, and we anxiously awaited more news.  The family went to the hospital around 11 yesterday morning.  Reed's mom, Mary Ann, drove in from El Campo late Tuesday night/incredibly early Wednesday morning.  She left around 2:30, and she was in Dallas by 8.  Reed's dad, Donnie, drove to Dallas yesterday afternoon. 

Claire is 6 pounds, 8 ounces and is 19 and 1/2 inches long.  She has a some hair, just the right amount!  Everything about her is perfect!  I have very much enjoyed spending time holding her last night and today.  Adelina and Claire will go home tomorrow, and I am so thankful that I still have a week before I have to be back at work, so I get a little more time to just love on Claire!

Countdown to Claire

I said in my last post that Aaron and I had celebrated many things in our first year of marriage.  We are getting ready to celebrate the birth of Claire, our first niece!  My sister, Adelina, is pregnant, and due in just 10 short days!  I can't wait for Claire to be here and experience the joys of being a part of this wonderful family.  I can't wait to love on her, and see how Adelina and Reed parent her.  I think really Adelina has been preparing for this her whole life.  Being the oldest, she always took on responsibilities that she didn't have to, but did because that's who she is.  Adelina is going to be a wonderful, loving, giving, protective, active, fun mommy.  She will care for Claire in a way that only Adelina can.  She will teach her daughter how to love well, and Claire will probably inherit a lot of Adelina's Type A personality traits.  She will do everything for Claire, because her love is that big.  Reed will be Reed.  He will be an amazing father, showing his daughter immense love.  He will make her laugh more than anyone else could ever try.  I'm pretty sure he will give her a love for fishing, and water in general.  He will also give her a love for music that makes you want to dance.  Adelina and Reed will be the perfect balance of silly and serious.  I am so excited to meet Claire!  You should all be hoping that Claire will come six days early, on August 4.  That's my day in the family baby pool, and I'd kind of like to win!

Adelina with all of Claire's aunts!