Anyone who knows me even relatively well...or at all for that matter...knows that I love social media!  I have had a Facebook account since college.  I started our blog in 2008 I think and LOVE blogging.  I picked up my twitter account a while back...like when we still lived in Jackson.  And, I've gotten hooked on Instagram most recently.  I can't help it.  Some may call it an addiction, but I call it a great way to keep my family and friends updated on my life and keep the free flow of pictures going their way.  There are lots of pictures out there!  Ha!

One wonderful thing we have gained or been blessed by on social media is the encouragement from our "friends" and blog readers.  I seriously don't know how I could have gotten through the last several years...and most recently - the last year or so - without social media.  The outpouring of love, encouragement, prayers, and simply genuine concern and curiosity for how we have been doing is often overwhelming!  So many times, I have scrolled back through to read and reread your comments or messages.  I have tried to figure out ways to show Millie Janalee the love we have been given.

I found a way!  Oh. My. Goodness!  I'm super duper excited to share with you what I've found!  One of my newest Facebook friends actually found this site.  She has used her Facebook as her family "blog" of sorts as they adopted their first son...and soon after became pregnant with their second.  She has started blogging herself now since she saw the blog book.  And she began her quest to find a way to print her Facebook.  And she found it!  Oh, did she ever find it!

The night she posted about what she discovered, I was immediately busy ordering my own "Likebook."  I ordered my Facebook photos, comments, messages, status updates, and tagged photos in book form from Millie Janalee's birth through December.  At the end of 2013, I may order one for the year too.  I have been so excited about it, and it came in today!  I am obsessed!

First of all, the quality is great!  And the price is even better!  My book was 158 pages, and it cost around $39.  Full color!  There are options for what you want included in your book and what you do not want included.  If you want specific photo albums included, you will select that album.  Then, you personalize the front cover with your name, title, or anything else you want.  Everything else is automatic.  It seriously took me like 5 minutes.  The front cover is full of the profile pictures of your Facebook friends.  How fun is that!?

When I was looking through my book tonight, I found a surprise addition in the back.  On the very last page, there is a ranking of the top commenters on my Facebook.  I found it hilarious and very interesting.  Yay for "Auntie Jen" aka "The Sucker Lady" for ranking as my top commenter from July to December.  Haha!  And, who would've thought Mary Margaret and Mrs. Brenda would have been #2 and #3?  I feel so special, ladies!  Hehe!

I know this is my second blog post tonight, but I could NOT wait to share this with you!  I know many of you have said you don't have time to blog, but you do have a Facebook account.  If you are interested in preserving the precious comments and pictures from a big life event, I highly encourage you to order your own "Likebook."  It is literally SO easy and not expensive at all.  There is also an option to order a "Best of 2012" book for $12.95 where they automatically compile a book of your best moments of the last year. 

For more information or to order your own book, click on the link here.  I hope you enjoy yours as much as I will cherish mine!  Just my little tidbit for the night!  Enjoy!

We Have a Big Girl...and a Tummy Sleeper

This is how our baby girl slept for the first time on February 5.  On her tummy!  It started out with nearly 30 minutes of crying after I put her to bed.  Of course, I went in every few minutes to reassure her.  I've been trying to do the whole "sleep training" thing when I need to.  Ha!  I'm not very good at it.  I hate to hear her cry.  For some reason, she has just started this at night only.  We've had it made thus far, so I certainly can't and won't complain.  Anyway, after close to 30 minutes...she rolled over.  I saw her on the monitor and what crossed my mind was, "Go turn her back over!"  But she was quiet.  Completely quiet and asleep.  So that outweighed my desire to roll her to her back.  I watched her like a hawk all night to make sure she was breathing.  You know...all the new parent stuff.  The next morning...she was just a smiley little tummy sleeper when I went in to get her up.

Happy, red-faced, and....soaking wet!  Yep.  Apparently, tummy sleeping does not agree with the diapers she's been wearing.  After changing her, wiping her down, changing the sheets, and washing the mattress cover...I started brainstorming.  Since then, she's been almost a full-time tummy sleeper with several wet mornings.  I tried the overnight diapers we had, but they didn't work either.  We finally ended up with Huggies Snug and Dry for the last two nights, and (so far) no leaking.  Crossing my fingers that this is the answer!  I studied the diaper aisle at Kroger this week, which was new for me.  Remember, we haven't really had to buy many diapers since Millie Janalee was born thanks to so many who know how to give a practical baby gift!  Thank you!  The only "overnight" diapers (besides the Pampers Baby Dry that didn't work for us) only come in size 4.  Well, we are just now growing into a size 3, so I'm not sure those would work.  I bought them anyway.  We can use them eventually.  Anyway, I looked in Millie Janalee's closet one last time and noticed someone gave us size 3 Huggies Snug and Dry.  It was worth a try!  And it worked!  So far, anyway.

Hopefully, I haven't grossed you out too much with my diaper leaking tangent.  Sorry about that!  There's not too much that grosses me out these days.  Especially when it comes from this cute face.  I think you might agree if you were me.  Bottom line...Millie Janalee is a full-time DRY tummy sleeper these days!  She growing up.  And too fast!

What else has she been doing lately?  Oh, nothing much.  EXCEPT SAYING "Dada Dada!"  Oh. My. Word!  How is this possible?!  After the initial disappointment that it wasn't "Mama" and the realization that she really probably hasn't connected that word to its meaning, I was so excited.  It is SO fun to watch her little tongue in action as she tries to get it just right.  She moves that little jaw so fast until she works up a "Dada."  I love it!

Playtimes around here are getting more and more fun!  She's moving around, grabbing things, reaching for things she shouldn't, and having a ball.  I am too!  I haven't taken near as many videos as I should...or still pictures for that matter.  I take most of them with my phone because it's usually handy, and I'm busy playing.  Ha!  I've gotta pick up the slack.  Bless her heart.  She doesn't have hardly any pictures of herself.  Haha! [insert sarcasm]

Millie Janalee and I are getting ready for another mountain trip with my family, so I've been busy making more baby food, doing laundry, and getting things put away so I can pack and organize fairly quickly.  Speaking of baby food, we have tried even more things and Millie Janalee certainly lets me know her opinion.  So far, she has started apples, pears, bananas, sweet potatoes, green peas, squash, and today we started carrots.  She likes them all.  But she loves fruit!  I don't blame her.  At least she tolerates what she doesn't like.  She can put away some baby food!  She eats 4-5 cubes every meal.  (I store the baby food in ice cube trays after I make it.  So that's why I say "cubes.")  Next up...plums and asparagus.  Fun times!

The rest of our time has been spent playing with Farley.  Or trying to play with him.  And waiting each afternoon for Daddy to come home.  Oh, how she loves when he walks through the door!

I'm Having a PAR-TAY!

That's right.  I'm having a party, and you're invited!  I'm hosting a catalog/online Kelly's Kids party through the end of February! If you are not familiar with Kelly's Kids, it is a family business...

"Over 30 years ago on a cotton farm in rural Louisiana, our mom started Kelly's Kids in an empty room in our home.  Starting out as a cottage business, she provided high quality clothes for moms who wanted to mix, match, and coordinate the family." -Kelly's Kids website

There are way too many choices for me to list here.  I've shown a few of the collections available.  Every piece has coordinating sibling outfits!  Perfect for Spring/Summer family portraits on the beach or elsewhere.  I can't wait to order Millie Janalee a few of my favorite pieces!  Kelly's Kids clothing ranges from babies to size 14-16.   There's something for every little one in your family!

The sweet baby collection ranges from day gowns to rompers, bubbles, and john johns.  Most pieces have a monogram option as well.  And, let's face it.  We love a good monogram in the South!  Ranging from church to swim, dress your little one in style this season!  And just maybe you can dress all the little ones to coordinate too! 

I have a long list of favorites, and I've ranked them in order of what I want most for Millie Janalee this summer.  Here are some of my favorites.  Sorry that most of these are baby pictures, but that's where my brain is these days!  Ha!

If you would like to browse the Kelly's Kids collections or place an order, please click on the link here.  When placing your order online, remember to place your order under my party #12663!  If you'd rather order through emailing me, feel free.  Also, those of you who know me personally can certainly call me to order or ask for a catalog.  My mom also has a few catalogs and order forms available.

Happy shopping!  I hope you find something that's the perfect fit for your little one(s)!

We [Heart] You

February is the month of pinks and reds.  It's Valentine's month!  Tonight is one of my favorite nights on Facebook, because it's the night of the Father/Daughter Ball in our hometown.  All night, I've seen sweet pictures of dads and their daughters before going to "the ball."  Many with corsages, sequins, a slight heel on their shoes, make-up, curled hair, and all of them with huge smiles on their faces!  Including my niece...

Grace

It was Millie Janalee's last naptime of the day when the pictures began popping up.  I sat there in the dark nursery and rocked her for the entire hour nap just looking at these pictures.  Many of these girls I remember as babies.  I teared up.  At one point, a tear rolled down my cheek.  Because I know that all too soon, our baby girl will be going on a date with her Daddy to "the ball." 

I can almost see the excitement in her eyes and the huge smile on her face.  I can only imagine the fun she will have!  And I will be left behind.  It will be a night when her Daddy will take her on her first date and show her how she deserves to be treated.  He will show her how boys should open the door for girls, how they should walk next to them...not ahead of them, how they should make sure she is having a good time.  He will show her how boys should be considerate of her and proud of her.  He will show her how boys should respect her.  I know he will show her these things, because that is how her Daddy treats me.  And it will be a night for just them...a little girl and her Daddy.

I'm sure they will dance.  And she may or may not be a little embarrassed of Russ's dance moves.  Ha!  Having said that...mine aren't much better!  But, she will giggle and dance with him.  She won't know the difference!  From the word I've already gotten from my brother-in-law, the music probably won't be Russ's favorite genre...but he'll dance anyway.

I get excited thinking about it, because I know how special her Daddy will be to her.   And I know how special Millie Janalee is to Russ.  I get a little sad too.  The thought of taking her to find the perfect dress and accessories seems so far away.  Yet, I know it will be here before I know it...and I'm not ready.  Time slow down!

I have absolutely no doubt that this little girl will be over the moon happy every time she spends time with her Daddy.  And, I know she will feel so special attending the Father/Daughter Ball and dressing up and dancing with her Daddy and all her little friends.  She's already preparing by stretching her little legs.  See...

This is one special baby girl!  Her Daddy and I love her so very much and pray she always feel loved and secure...and that she has FUN!  If you've met Millie Janalee, you know that she always has fun!  Ha! 

We [heart] you, Millie Janalee!

Tell Me Again...

Millie Janalee already loves books!  She gets so excited every time we turn the page.  She tightens the muscles in her body and squeals or breaths very fast and loud.  It's quite hilarious and super fun to watch!  Her book collection is overflowing out of her book basket, and I have grand plans of wall book racks (I've been hinting to Auntie Kristin and Uncie Lee lately.  Hehe!) to help hold some of her sweet books.  The teacher in me loves a room full of children's books!

The other day, we were reading a book as I tried to help Millie Janalee wind down for nap time.  I picked up this book I ordered forever ago...like way before we knew who Baby J would be.  I admit, I order lots of books without reading them.  Anyway, as I was reading Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born to Millie Janalee...I had a light bulb moment!

For those of you unfamiliar with this story...it's a book about adoption.  It goes through the parents getting "THE CALL", telling their families, going to pick up their baby, and life with their baby when they get home.  It's a great book told through the voice of the child..."Tell me again..."  The child asks to hear their story again and again.  Each part.

So, I jumped over to my computer during her nap and started on her very own Tell Me Again About the Day I Was Born.   Millie Janalee was born at 8:58 am, so I renamed it using "Day."  I used the wording from Jamie Lee Curtis's book, except I told Millie Janalee's story complete with pictures from that day and the days following.  I LOVE the way it turned out, and I couldn't wait for it to arrive and to read it to my sweet girl.

The sweet book cover

"Tell me again how you and Daddy were sitting together after work and how the phone rang and they told you I was on the way.  Tell me again how you giggled." (Page 1)

 "Tell me again about the next day when you and Daddy went to the hospital to meet me with Mrs. Karen.  Tell me again how the butterflies were in your stomach the whole way to the hospital and when you got there you both got very quiet and felt very small." (Page 6)

 "Tell me again about introducing me to the family.  Tell me again how everyone counted down before you brought me in and how everyone cheered, cried, and kissed me over and over." (Page 16)

The book chronicles her adoption story from the day we found out about her to the day we brought her home.  It also tells about how we became her parents in an age appropriate way.  I was inspired to create a storybook to help tell her story from her birthmother actually.  Her birthmother created a storybook for her and gave it to us the day we met Millie Janalee in the hospital.  I bawled like a baby reading it...especially the last page.  I'm pretty sure Russ had tears in his eyes too.  So, when I was reading Jamie Lee Curtis's book, I was overjoyed to have that spark and know exactly what I wanted to do!

Millie Janalee enjoyed reading through the pages, and she even got to turn some of the pages.  Of course, I was carefully watching that she didn't RIP the pages.  Ha!  If she does, I'll just order another one.  All is well.

I get the same question all the time: "When will you tell her she was adopted?"  The answer is...we already have.  We talk about Millie Janalee becoming a part of our family just like we would talk about a biological child becoming a part of our family.  We never want Millie Janalee to be able to remember "the day" we told her.  We never want her to feel ashamed of her story.  We pray that Millie Janalee will be proud of her story.  She has so many reasons to be proud.  We pray that she is proud of how God used her little life to touch so many.  We pray that she is proud of the decision her birthparents made for her.  This doesn't mean she will talk about her story to everyone she meets any more than I tell everyone I meet how I was born and where.  Adoption is a topic we want to speak about openly with her.  We want her to be comfortable asking questions and hearing the answers.  This book will certainly spark more questions the older Millie Janalee gets.  And, if it does, we have accomplished exactly what we intended to accomplish!

I look forward to the day I hear that sweet little voice say..."Mama, tell me again about the day I was born."  And I will!

Uncie Bucket Came to Visit!

This weekend, we had a special visitor!  Millie Janalee was very excited about her first visit from Uncie Bucket and She She to her home and sweet nursery.  In fact, she was so excited that she decided to get showered and primped for their arrival.  I taught her how to wrap her wet hair into a towel for the ultimate spa look.

Mama and her sweet bathing beauty

Russ was working all day Saturday into Sunday morning, so he joined us for dinner when Dustin and Sheila arrived.  Millie Janalee donned her first itty bitty hairbow in honor of all our "big bow haters" as we like to call them.  Ha!  She finally has enough hair to hold the little bows for a few minutes.  Her hair is so fine, they don't stay in for long.  She makes anything look precious!

"How do you like me now?"

After dinner, Millie Janalee took her bedtime bottle while the rest of us tried to watch a movie.  Not much luck as we were all asleep within minutes.  Ha!  We're getting old!  So, we woke up the next morning for a movie redo.  What movie?  Oh...Millie Janalee and She She had never seen Mary Poppins.  So that was the winner!  Introducing both these girls to a classic and my favorite movie growing up.

First time watching Mary Poppins...classic!

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

 After the movie, Millie Janalee went down for a nap after a heart to heart with Uncie Bucket and a quick trip for cupcakes and frozen yogurt.  Ha!  The grownups....well, we spent her naptime watching another movie Sheila had never seen.  Peter Pan!  How is it possible for her to be so neglected in the Disney movie department?!  Millie Janalee woke up for a little bit during the movie and ended up napping with me on the couch until the credits rolled.

Saturday night, we decided to eat sushi at a local Japanese restaurant.  This family loves some Japanese...sushi or hibachi!  I'm on the hibachi side, but anyone else is welcome to eat that raw fish roll if they please.  Ha!

Millie Janalee was excited to show Uncie Bucket how she sits in a big girl high chair.  She also enjoyed "christening" She She during dinner....as Uncie Bucket looked like Vince Vaughn in Four Christmases.  It was rather hilarious, but I tried not to laugh for their sake.

 

 After dinner, we came home so Uncie Bucket and She She could catch up on their recorded wrestling shows.  Millie Janalee enjoyed staying up late playing with her spend the night company.  Finally, she took her bedtime bottle and went to sleep around 10:30.  I know.  Don't judge.  She was just having too much fun!

Sunday morning, Uncie Bucket and She She hung around with us a while until Russ came home.  He got home around noon, and ate some of our leftovers from the weekend.  It was almost as if he ate with us everywhere we went.  Ha!

Millie Janalee loves a good slumber party!  And she certainly enjoyed her lazy weekend with her uncle and Sheila.  Uncie Bucket and Farley are the only two who can get this girl to poke her bottom lip out in fear of the loud "Peoo!"  (That's the best I could do with spelling...but it is so funny!)

We enjoyed our visit!  Y'all come back soon!