Merry Christmas

Many of you have probably already seen this...

Merry Christmas with love,

The Harris Family

NO!

I got told "NO!" today and (as you can see by my reaction) I was not very happy about it! Oh, what we at the Harris house have to look forward to!

Nine Months

Our baby is nine months old. Where has the time gone?!?! Our nine month pictures didn't turn out very good, because......Simple.... She doesn't sit still!!! Not even for 30 seconds!

We had to settle for this picture with her birthday sign! At this point she had crumpled the sign and had crawled out of her leg warmers. This is right before she crawled over to her baby crib and pulled out all the stuffed animals followed by crawling across the room and getting into her trashcan. No Joke, I am a busy momma these days!

We burn an advent candle every evening in the month of December. This is a tradition that Flint grew up doing and now we have started it. Here we are on December 9th. We have a nine month old! I really can't believe it! We have so much to be thankful for! Each day we try to reflect on what the season is really all about.

Since our nine month pictures were unsuccessful, I thought I would open a little door into Cilla's world and show you what she is up to!

She is crawling EVERYWHERE and is into EVERYTHING!!!

She has a new fascination with playing under this end table.

I know this little blue outfit is a little boy outfit, but I just love it. It has a football on the front. Don't worry, she wore a brown bow with it!!!

She crawls from room to room. Luckily, she makes a noise (that sounds like a panting dog) when she is on the move, so even if she is out of my sight I can still hear her!

Oh, and the icing on the cupcake...

This morning, while I was starting a load of laundry, she made her way over to the dog bowl and had water all over the floor before I could get to her! This is what I found.

Of course, I grabbed the camera before grabbing a towel!

"What's wrong, mom? Was this not here for me to play in?!?!"

Look her dirty, wet knees! I need to mop!

More about Cilla:

*She eats like a champ. She love to try foods and has eaten just about everything.

*Has started sleeping like a champ. No kidding, some nights she sleeps 13 hours! If I would keep her home more and on a tighter schedule, she would take 2 good naps.

*LOVES puffs! They keep us sane when we are out in public!

*Has two bottom teeth and four (yes, four) top teeth coming in!

*Is developing such a fun and outgoing little personality! She really loves people!

*She is still pretty serious and is very resilient!

*She says "mama" and "da" sometimes "dada". Her very first real sound was "baba"! We are not sure if this was a coincidence or if it meant "bye bye" or "bottle".

*She claps when we say YAY! She gets so excited for herself and I never get tired of it.

*She waves to everyone! Like I said, doesn't meet a stranger!

*Cilla loves our puppies....actually, all dogs!

*She loves to read (or look at) books. She is into turning the pages all by herself.

*She loves light switches and door stops! I wish life would stay this simple!!!

We just love this little girl more and more with each passing day! She brings so much joy into our family.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

It has finally gotten cold here in Waco and is starting to feel more like Christmas! We actually got some snow flurries a couple of days ago!

I needed to make a Wal-Mart run, so here Cilla is all bundled up and waiting on me to get ready. No, I did not leave her on the bed...she would have crawled her way off!!!

She loves to look in the mirror! She was fascinated by her hat in this picture! I love this little hat. It is suppose to be a cupcake! How cute is that?!?!

My little cupcake!

We got some snow (you have to look closely to see it). I think our puppies have forgotten what snow is! Look at Sophie trying to get in the door! Burrrrr, mom!

Of course, Cilla napped right through the snow. She missed her very first snow. Next time. Never wake a sleeping baby, right?!?!

Jerry World....I mean Baylor vs. Tech

The Baylor/Texas Tech game was actually exciting, but the highlight of the trip was getting to visit the new Cowboy Stadium (a.k.a. Jerry World) in Arlington. As all of our Arkansas and A&M friends and family already know....IT IS A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.!!!! Flint went up with my dad, our friend Katie, and I instead of going with the team so that he would not have to stay overnight in a hotel. He was regretting his decision after sitting in traffic trying to find our assigned lot. He has gotten spoiled to the police escorts that drive the team buses right up the stadium! HA! Here are a few pics.

Flint and I

Dad and I

The JUMBOtron.

It is literally over half the length of the field and still more clear than our TV at home!!!

Taking the field

Flint

From the back!

Flint again (standing on the 42 yard line)

Sic.Em.Bears.

We had club seats and I felt a little spoiled. They were awesome and we had access to the indoor club with all of the TV's. I could only imagine at a Cowboy game all the Who's Who of Dallas standing around in there drinking their cocktails and making some business deals, oh yes, and watching football! After the game was over, we went inside and found the Razorbacks on TV. We sat there and watch their heartbreaking loss to LSU, all while the stadium staff were trying to close down and run us out! Flint kept telling them...it is almost over!

All of our Baylor friends and avid football fan friends probably already know the outcome of the Baylor/Tech game. And you probably already know that it was a really great game in which Baylor was ahead most of the game and had a chance to win right at the end. Unfortunately, the Bears just didn't have enough in them. Such a bummer, especially after such a close game.

Thanksgiving Week

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving week-Cilla's first Thanksgiving. My parents came from Arkansas to spend the holiday with us, since Flint had to be back for the Baylor game.

Flint took Tuesday off, in honor of his mom, so we decided to head to Dallas for a little overnight getaway. What is normally a short little trip, turned into quite a fiasco! The traffic was horrible because of Thanksgiving and Cilla chose not to have her afternoon nap that day. This equals no fun for anyone!!!

She was a little happier when I crawled in the backseat with her and fed her puffs!

We stayed with our friends, Lauren, Corby, and Harper! Look at this precious face! She is just a doll! Cilla liked playing with Harper and all of Harper's toys! It is so nice to stay with people who have all the baby stuff you need. It requires you packing lots less!

We went out to dinner Tuesday night with two tired and unhappy babies! How pitiful is this picture?!? They cried the entire way home from dinner. SUPER PLEASANT!!!

Wednesday morning before heading back to Waco, we finally got to meet Baby Braysen! My best friend, Laura, had a baby November 5th and we were finally getting to meet him. Having a 9 month old puts a damper on the spontaneous road trips to Dallas!!! Oh, I must say, it was love at first sight. This little guy is so precious, seriously! I look forward to helping spoil him and all the fun we will have with him in the years to come! I hope he and Cilla are best friends, too!

Cilla is clapping all the time these days! She tried to show Braysen and Aunt Laura all of her tricks!

After meeting Braysen, lunch with Uncle Peter, and hitting up The Cupcakery, we finally got on the road along with everyone else in Central Texas. Of course it was time for Cilla's bottle and of course we left her formula at the Pardue's house! We finally made it back home...again, a fiasco!!!

Sophie needed a bath, so we managed to fit that in!

Our friend Katie, who works with Flint, is from Washington and since she is going home at Christmas, she stayed in Waco for Thanksgiving. So, she came over and had Thanksgiving with us! We were so glad to have her! And she made THE most yummy sweet potato casserole I have ever put in my mouth!!!

Cilla with daddy on her first Thanksgiving! Dinner was delicious! Cilla tried lots of the food and loved it all!!!

It was a wonderful week. We have lots to be thankful for!

THANKS

We have a lot to be thankful for no matter what the past year has brought our way!

This is a banner my friend, Emmalie made. She owns the scrapbook store here in Waco. The banner says "THANKS". It is a little hard to read it in the picture, but I just love it in person!

Here is THE biggest blessing in our lives! Our little Pumpkin! Not one day goes by that I do not think God for entrusting her to us. What an honor. She brings us so much joy!

And I can't leave out this wonderful man either! He has taught me so much and he helps me to be a better person. I have watched him have such a quiet strength over the last couple of years and I so admire that quality in him. I am am so thankful for Flint and I love him to death! And of course, our four-legged babies. This is Sophie in the picture. She has been in my life for 10 years. She and Katie, who was Flint's puppy when we got married, have brought so much joy to our lives. They are so loyal and dear to us and I don't want to imagine life without them! We attempted to get a whole family photo but as you can see, we were unsuccessful. Five faces looking at the camera is too many!!!

Cilla had a BIG time with her Nana and her Poppa while they were in Waco for Thanksgiving. They are so good to us and I can't tell them enough how much we appreciate them.

Cilla will not sit still long enough to have her picture made these days. She is one busy little girl!

Thanks for coming to Waco, mom and dad. I know it is a long trip, but we loved having you guys and are so thankful for your willingness to help us around here and to love on Baby Cilla!

Now that Thanksgiving is over, Cilla is excited about her first Christmas. I have lots more pictures of our Thanksgiving week. I will post them in the next couple of days! Hope ya'll had a good Thanksgiving!

One Year Ago

One year ago, today, marks the day that my precious mother-in-law, Cilla, went home to be with Jesus. One year later the wound is still raw. One year later we still shed tears. One year later we miss her more than ever. Please say a prayer for Flint today. As much as I miss dear Cilla, I can't imagine my mom not being on this earth to encourage me, to watch my child grown, and to celebrate the holiday with us. We miss her so much and there is a big huge void without her. It makes some of the pain go away to know that she is in Heaven and is healthier than she ever was here, but we selfishly want her to share in our lives here on earth.

Oh, how I would love to give her a big today and to sit and tell her all that her sweet little namesake is up to!

Christmas Spirit

Mall Santa's Fear Swine Flu

What?!?! This paranoid mom just became a little more paranoid. Read this article about Santa Claus worrying about getting H1N1. Golly, I haven't even thought about this!!! I just went from wanting to take Cilla to meet Santa to thinking we might wait until her second Christmas to let her sit on the big guy's lap! I am thinking it is not such a great idea to take her since so many other kids will be lov'in all over him! Not sure if I would have taken Cilla to the Waco mall to begin with, but now...pretty sure the answer is NO!!! Am I over-reacting?!?!

Not to rush Thanksgiving....I love it so much. But, I am so excited about Christmas this year. Maybe because it got overlooked last year or maybe because we have a little someone to add to the joy of the season! I know it will not mean much to our 9 month old... but, I can't wait to tell her the Christmas story and begin to teach her the TRUE meaning of Christmas. I can't wait to teach her to love others and give to others. We have already picked out a family with a little baby girl to adopt this Christmas. This is something that we plan to do with Cilla every year. She is so blessed and we want her to know that and to value that! I can't wait to get to spend time as a family of three and to start our own family traditions. Although, I know it is so insignificant, I look forward to seeing her light up and be blessed with gifts of her own! Oh I am so excited just thinking about it and I am ready to go get the Christmas decorations out of the attic!!! I love Christmas!

I was actually thinking this morning about one of my all time favorite Christmas movies- the new Miracle on 34th Street. We will watch it over the Thanksgiving holiday (we, as in, me and my mom!) Oh, I love it! It has a good message. The whole theme behind the movie is believing in something we can't see. Which, as a Christian, I think is what celebrating Christmas is. We have FAITH that Jesus came to earth as a baby. We have FAITH that he loved us so much he gave his life on a cross for us. And we have FAITH that he is in Heaven and we will be, too, if we are saved by HIS grace and allow Him to come live in us.

Here is the trailer from the movie. Take a look at if you you have not seen the movie. Look for the scene with the little deaf girl sitting on Santa's lap...I cry every time I watch that part. He was the first Santa to ever be able to speak to her in sign language! Awwww...I love it!

Eight Months

Happy 8 month Birthday, you sweet thing!

We tried to have a little photo session out at the lake, but you weren't really having any of that!!! I still think you are the cutest, even when you do not cooperate! You are interested in anything and everything besides me OR all you want to do is grab the camera!

I can't believe you are already 8 months. I, seriously, look back and have no idea where the time has gone! I loved looking at your "month birthday" pics all together and seeing how much you have grown and how far you have come. It really is amazing! You are such a joy, sweet girl. You have really started to develop a little personality and it is quite amusing!!! You are the sunshine on a cloudy day and we love you to pieces!

What is our 8 month old up to?!?!

*Well, EVERYTHING!

You are into everything. You crawl everywhere. You put everything in your mouth. If I walk out of the room for a couple of short minutes, you disappear! Silly goose!

*We finally have gotten you down to four large bottles each day (well, most days). This did not happen without a fight!

*You love your food and are eating some yummy combinations and you LOVE puffs!!!

*We lowered your crib because you now pull up when we put you in it. This has also led to bigger and better fits when we put you down at nap time! Oh and did I mention that you have figured out how to pull the camera off the post of your crib! There are days we check the video monitor to see what you are doing and we get a virtual tour of your penthouse!

*You ARE sleeping like a champ through the night, but we are back to fighting naps. I can deal with this since you are sleeping about 11 hours most nights! Days are much easier when we have had a good night of sleep! We usually can get one good long nap in each day. If we are really lucky, we get two!!!

*You have developed somewhat of an attachment to your mommy this month. You decided a couple of weeks ago that you are not very fond of men. I do not know if this is because you are mainly around ladies....home, playgroups, MDO, church nursery...or if this is a normal phase babies go through!?!? I credit it to the fact that daddy works and travels so much and you see him so little right now. Either way, we are hoping this is short lived!!! Or if this will just trickle over into your teenage years we will be A-OK with it!!!

*You love Katie and Sophie.

*You love to be tossed in the air.

*You love the "Little Popcorn" song and when mommy sings it to you. Thanks Aunt Katie for teaching it to us while you were here! Sorry your mommy can't sing better, girl!!!

*Still only two teeth, but we think we are on the brink of getting more. We have had a rough couple of days!

*You have been healthy (that is relative) all month!!! PTL!

Each day of your life I get more of a glimpse of how Christ loves us, His children. I can't fathom how much He must love us, cause I love you so much and HIS love far exceeds that! I pray everyday that you will come to know and grasp this love at a young age. There is nothing greater and nothing else that will carry you through life. Know that God gave you a mommy and daddy who love you so much here on Earth and there is nothing more important to us than to show you what it looks like to be like Christ. We love you, our little Pumpkin Pie!!!

Tagged.

Ugghhh....I am so behind on blogging, which pretty much sums up my life right now! I have loads of laundry to do, an inch of dust on my furniture, a baby crawling over hardwood floors through tumbleweeds of dog hair.... and who would even think about cooking a healthy meal, taking the time to work out, or getting a good night of sleep?!?!

We have had a crazy couple of weeks. I will post pics this week and get caught up! For now...I have been tagged!

A special thank you to Ginger at The Neff Family for awarding me the "Over the Top" blog award. That was so sweet of you to think of me!!

The Rules~ Use only one word, pass along to six favorite bloggers, and tell them you did so.

1. Where is your cell phone? diaperbag

2. Your Hair? ponytail

3. Your Mother? selfless

4. Your Father? generous

5. Your favorite food? chocolate (is that a food?)

6. Your dream last night? nonexistent

7. Your favorite drink? SweetTea

8. Your dream/goal? mommy

9. What room are you in? office

10. Your hobby? shopping

11. Your fear? loss

12. Where do you want to be in six years? home

13. Where were you last night? JrLeague

14. Something you aren't? fake

15. Favorite Muffin? BananaNut

16. Wish List Item? shoes

17. Where did you grow up? NorthLittleRock

18. Last thing you did? put.the.baby.down. (Sorry I couldn't fit that into one word!)

19. What are you wearing? jeans

20. Your TV? addicting

21. Your Pets? lovable

22. Friends? the.best.

23. Your Life? blessed

24. Your Mood? overwhelmed

25. Missing Someone? MIL

26. Vehicle? white

27. Something your not wearing? watch

28. Your favorite store? Anthropologie

29. Your favorite color? fall (brown.orange.red.for those you wondering)

30. When was the last time you laughed? today

31. Last time you cried? week

32. Your best friend(s)? kind

33. One place I could go over and over? Caribbean

34. Favorite place to eat? MeltingPot

AND....My real life friend, Sally, tagged me with an "I'm Fabulous" blog award! Thanks, gurl! Although I am not super sure what this means, thanks anyway!

Here are the rules: share five things you are obsessed with then pass the award on to the five most fabulous blogs you know.

1. CUPCAKES! I am obsessed with cupcakes! Love them. Could eat them every day of my life! I love Sprinkles. Red Velvet is the bomb.com! I love What About Cupcakes? here in Waco. Try the Oreo...it's to die for! I love homemade cupcakes. I have the best chocolate cupcake recipe thanks to my friend Hillary and Southern Living!!! I will have to share it sometime! I love all the fun flavors you can get in a one serving size and they are the cutest for showers and parties!!! Golly, my mouth is watering now!!!

2. Baby Girl Clothes! I thought having a boy would be so much fun (and I still do), but having a little girl is awesome, too! Dressing her is so much fun! I get lots and lots of comments on Cilla's clothes and bows. I will share more later but for now...these are my very favorite sites!

Head pieces:

Jamie Rae Hats

Clothes:

Milk Shop

Isn't this Precious?!?! This is just the tip of the iceberg!

Lollipops and Gumdrops

I love a cute monogrammed outfit. These are a little pricier than some, but they have tons of super cute choices!

Oh, I could have one in every color!

And I LOVE Baby Lulu.

You can get it here or at Nordstrom!

3. Throwing parties!!! I love a good excuse for a party! I love to throw baby showers, wedding showers, and any kind of party. I have a secret deep down obsession with wanting to be an event planner. Maybe one day! Here are a couple of pics from a baby shower I threw for one of my besties before we moved to Texas!

4. Shoes. I love shoes! Maybe 'cause they always fit. They seem to be more loyal to me than my jeans and even some of my dresses! I love heels, flats, tall boots, booties, cute sporty shoes, cowboy boots, flops, wedges.....I pretty much do not discriminate!!!

5. Traveling. Before we moved to Wacko, I mean Waco, we traveled lots and lots. I miss those days. Flint's work situation now just does not allow for us to get much time away. We love to spend the summertime in Lake Tahoe and the winter in Mexico and the Caribbean! We have traveled to all kinds of fun places. Some of my favorites: New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Pebble Beach, Vermont, Jamaica, Mexico...man, I miss those days, but we were so lucky to have the time away that we did!

Christmas in Mexico

Boating in Acapulco

Jamaica

The view from my lounge chair...NO KIDDING!

Lake Tahoe