Happy Birthday, Bailey!

To say a LOT has happened since my last post is an UNDERSTATENT! Our family has grown to 4 and Bailey Reese Belcher has been an awesome addition. Bailey was born around 1:45 in the afternoon on Tuesday, March 19, weighing 6lbs 6oz and measuring 19in. She was perfectly beautiful and healthy and Jade fell in love with her baby sister at first sight. Here are a few pictures...

 This is a few minutes before we left for the hospital. Jade was playing a Memory card game with G-ma. It was tough for me to leave that day. I wasn't sure what Jade would think of a new baby in the house and i knew, in my eyes, she would grow overnight after seeing our tiny, new baby.

G-ma brought plenty of things to keep Jade entertained and occupied as she waited to meet her new sister


I was so happy to be able hear Jade's voice as I was waiting to go into surgery. She came to visit me breifly, but unfortunately I didn't snap a picture. I think she was a little afraid seeing mommy strapped up to all those machines.


Her she is seeing a video her daddy took of sweet little Bailey, before they were able to meet.

                       Here is our sweet Bailey Reese just a few minutes after she was born.

                                Jade was a sweet, loving, kind big sister right from the start.

                                                                              perfect...

                                                                         perfect...

                                                              and even more perfect...

 

                                      We were so happy to finally meet our new baby girl...

                                           she already has daddy wrapped around her finger...
 

                                                               hugs from aunt andi...

                                                                              gma...

                                                                         sydney...

                                                                          peepaw...

and ben:)

Our One and Only...

Well, we are officially less than a week away from the arrival of your little sister, Bailey. Everyone is excited to meet her, including you. You always talk about her and you say you are ready to give her a hug and kiss:)
I am also excited...ready to meet her, see what she looks like, introduce her to you...but along with all that excitement is a little bit of sadness. We are saying goodbye to the chapter of you as the only child. I know you are not technically a "baby", you are a "big girl," we tell you that every day. But there is a big part of me that still sees you as this fresh, new addition to our family. I know it will seem as though you've grown and aged overnight once Bailey arrives. She will seem to tiny and new and fragile. You will seem so big and self-sufficient. Time flies, there's no avoiding that, but this is one of those moments when it's magnified. While it makes part of me sad, it makes the other part even more appreciative of EVERY moment we shrare. Since the day you were born you have brought us unmeasureable amounts of joy and happiness. Our hearts overflowed with love the moment we laid eyes on you. I know Bailey will do the same and my hope for you both is that you love, cherish and appreciate each other in every way sisters should! I will do my very best, to make sure you feel just as much love from us after she arrives as you do at this very moment. Below are some of my favorite pics of you in your first few months...

Merry, Happy, Fun...

Merry!
As in Merry Christmas. Okay, okay, today's date is February 22 so i'm going back in time a bit, but it's better to have posted late than not posted at all...right?!
As expected, we had a wonderful Christmas! I was so excited for it this year, because I felt like you would kind of "get it" and enjoy the traditions we were starting to set as a family. I wasn't too surprised that i was the first one up on Christmas morning, that was always the case when i was a little girl at Gigi and Papaws house...some things never change. I woke up, turned on some dim lights in the living room, and turned on the Christmas music at a low volume. I grabbed a cup of coffee, then sat in the chair facing your room so i could make sure to see your face when you came out of your door! I didn't realize i'd be sitting there for 45 minutes, but i didn't mind. this gave time for your daddy to get up too. We had spent the night before putting together your gift that Santa had left you...a table and chairs that were just your size...perfect for all the coloring and "sticker-booking" you love to do.
When you finally made your way out of bed, you went straight to the table!

In addition to the table you got new coloring books, crayons, markers (washable...thank goodness) and clothes!
Once we were done with our own little family Christmas we made our way to Nana's where the fun continued! We had a yummy lunch and you were very excited to get a singing Big Bird and talking Super Grover! We spent the whole day just hanging out and playing! And it didn't end there...
The next day, we hopped a plane to Oklahoma for a little Christmas time with the rest of our awesome family! Not only did we spend some quality time with Gigi, Pepaw, Aunt Andi, Uncle Alan, Ben and Sydney...but it was also your first time seeing and playing in....SNOW!!

And of course, we had our annual Gigi/Jade Birthday party while in Oklahoma! We ate some super yummy cake, and once again, celebrated with some great gifts! you got some new blocks, and a few new movies (including Finding Nemo, which quickly became a favorite)!

Happy Valentine's Day!

We love our early morning parties, so Valentine's Day just wouldn't have been complete without one! You had cinnamon rolls on your special v-day plate, opened gifts from Gigi and Papaw, which included stickers, a bear, and a card that played music! Then it was off to school for another Valentine's Day Party:)

These are a few of your favorite things...

You are now 2 years 2 months old, and you are changing everyday.
You are very much into singing...your ABC's, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Old McDonald Had a Farm, Happy Birthday...the list goes on. The other day, you started singing Twinkle Twinkle...when you fnished, i clapped! you turned to me, took a full bow and said "thank you very much". i had to laugh out loud at that one. You love the count things...you can count all the way to 14! You currently like to sleep with Baby Stella, Piglet and Minnie Mouse. Your favorte book to read at bedtime is Jake and the Neverland Pirates (it has buttons you push throughout the book, they makes sound for the differnt characters). You love playing in your kitchen, you like to set places for everyone on the floor and feed us coffee, tea, and cupcakes! Here are a couple of recent videos...

Celebrating #2!

Happy Birthday Dear Jade...
Wow! 2 years...it is hard to believe! You have brought so much meaning and joy to our lives, I wish there was a way to put it into words, but there just isn't. So, we'll try to show you by celebrating you everyday. January 4th 2013 started with an early morning birthday party complete with balloons, a party hat, and biscuits with butter and cinnamon (your favorite). And a special birthday tutu (you would wear tutu's every day if we let you!)

For your birthday, Nana took you to see Sesame Street Live! You loved it! She said you were dancing to all of the songs. You came back home with a big Elmo balloon, a magical wand (like the one Abby had in the show), and a glow necklace. You were excited to tell mommy all about it!