Ready for a vacation!!

Hello! It is Sunday afternoon and Hank and Allyson are both taking naps. Hank got in this morning from a night of call. Something that I am very tired of, and of course, so is he. I am so ready for this 2nd year to be over and it will be in three months!! His 3rd year promises to be better as far as less all nighters at the hospital. He'll still be busy, but he'll be home more. I understand now why doctors make so much money. They earn it all before they ever start practicing!! Anyway, to say the least, we are very ready to come home to Arkansas for a week of family time and just to relax and have fun. It's a vacation for me too because I get to sit back and watch all of my more than willing family help take care of Allyson. Not that I don't enjoy taking care of the little doll, but let's face it, it can drain all of the energy out of this pregnant mommy!! A little help is always nice along the way!!

Well, speaking of the word "pregnant" I go to the doctor this Friday at 9 a.m. to find out if it's a boy or a girl. I am very anxious. Hank swears up and down that it is another girl, and I think so too. If the doctor says boy I think we'll both fall over from shock. Why do we think that? The ring test of course!! It's hardly ever wrong, and I truthfully don't know of anyone that I have done the test on and it be wrong. And I've done it to plently of these pregnant resident's wives. Most of them are skeptical and think I'm crazy when I tell them what they are having until they go to the doctor and tell me I was right!! I don't understand it, but it's true. I think I need to start charging a fee and set up my own home business. What could I call it? Any ideas? HA! HA!

Talk to you later!!

We're Back

Well, I know it has been too long since I have updated this blog and many of you have probably given up on it!! The holidays have come and gone and they were great!! We had a wonderful time at home with all the family. Here it is already the middle of January and can you believe it, central Texas is right in the middle of an ice storm!! It is not very often that it is colder here than it is in Arkansas. Allyson and I have been stuck in the house for three days now and I'm really ready to get out and go somewhere!! Hank had to take my car today because his truck would slide around everywhere. So today we are for sure stuck here. I hope there are no emeregencies, like Allyson falling and passing out on me!! What is up with that anyway? She scares me to death when she does that! The little stinker cries so hard she holds her breath and passes out. She has her 15 month check up this Friday, the 19th and I am definitely talking to the doctor about it. (SHe is actually 16 months old now. Her appt. had to be changed twice! once for the doctor and again for the weather) Anyway, she will get 4 shots again, the last round of them until she is 4. Thank God! SHe might pass out right there at the doctor's office!! No, I hope not. I am anxious to see how much she weighs and how much she has grown. I'll let everybody know how it goes!!

Oh yeah, one more big thing that has happended since I have updated this. We found out Allyson is going to a big sister!! Most of you already know that, but I had to add it anyway. My projected due date is Aug 9th. I go to the doctor for my first check up on the 24th. I'll let you know how that all goes as well!!

Be back soon!!

Pumpkin Patch

Allyson and I went to the pumpkin patch with Grandma, Susan, Ann, and Abby on a beautiful, cool, fall afternoon. It was perfect weather for a pumkin patch visit. Besides getting some great pictures, Allyson got to see some chickens, goats, bunnies, and of all things, a pheasant. There were tunnels made out of hay bales, but Allyson was too scared to go in them. Abby loved them, though!! Abby also loved the sand box which I did not put Allyson in because I did not want to be cleaning sand out of her mouth, hair, and diaper!! I think Allyson enjoyed most of all seeing all of the kids (it was a very popular place!) there playing and laughing and having a great time. She already thinks she can do everything that they do!
We had a great time in Arkansas and this was just one of the many fun things that we had the oppurtunity to do!!

Allyson's 1st Birthday!!!

It's so hard to believe that Allyson had her first birthday on Sunday, September 17th!! I can't beleive how fast the time went. It seems like I was just bringing her home from the hospital!! Anyway, now she is a busy little one year old who loved her birthday cake and presents. She was'nt sure about touching the cake at first so she just put her face down in it!! Then she put her hands in it and squished it all up, and then she thought how neat it must feel to put her feet in it too!! She had cake all over her! We were thankful that she got to have her Nana and Papa (Bev and H.C.) here to celebrate with us. They came for the weekend and we and had a great time. Also, her little friend, Ellie, came over for the party too. Allyson got some great present. She did'nt get into tearing the wrapping paper to much. We'll wait for Christmas for her to get excited about that!! Some of the presents she got were a Barbie chair, a doll that talks, a little broom and dust pan (which was her favorite that night!) some music makers, a counting book, a pink play cell phone with a pretty pink case, two dresses and dress shoes, and a big pink ball that she loves to roll around the house.

Who's Having the Most Fun?!!

Jamie's journey at seminary in Fort Worth, TX has officially began so he came to Temple for a visit last weekend. We are only two hours away from each other now so he will be able to come see us whenever he is not having to study or work. Anyway, when he was here we had a wild and crazy weekend out on the town. That Saturday night we went shopping to get Hank a new pair of boots for his birthday. He has wanted a new pair for a couple years now and living in Texas made that desire even stronger since all of the "cool doctors" wear thier "sweet boots" at the hospital and other places. I was proud that he finally got to get him some. Now lets just hope and pray that he won't get a scratch or a scuff mark on them or the world will surely end. After boot shopping we went to the mall where Jamie got a new shirt and then he wanted to play some arcade games. Allyson went crazy in that place!! She was having so much fun, and so was her Daddy and uncle!! Luckily, I had thrown my camera in my purse so I got snag a few pics of them playing thier games. They played some ski ball, racing games, shooting games, and then ran out of quarters. Allyson tried to get on that dancing thing with a couple of teenagers. I don't think they wanted her to mess up thier "skills". She cried when I pulled her away from it. Anyway, back to our crazy night. After the mall we went and ate pizza at Mazzios and finally to top the night off we went bowling. Taking Allyson to the night bowl when they have the disco lights, loud music, big colorful balls everywhere, and lots of people was a big mistake. The girl was everywhere and going nuts!! We only got to bowl one game. Jamie wanted a re-match because Hank beat him and he said he was only warming up!! We had a great time. Allyson was worn out by the end of the night.... and so were we!!

We have a walker!!

It's so hard to believe that Allyson is officially walking now!! It is amazing and fun to watch the transitions she went through to get to this point. It all started off with her being able to pull up on objects around her and then begin taking tiny steps while holding on to something. Then she began wanting to constantly hold someone's hand and have them walk with her. She would still crawl occasionally, but walking with someone was much more fun!! Well, then it happened, she took those first baby steps with NO help, and then continued on practicing and practicing until she could walk independantly. She is SO proud of herself now!! She still falls from time to time, but always gets right back up. That's another thing she just recently learned how to do......get up to a standing position all by herself. Let me tell you, life with a baby is never boring or dull, there is something new to watch her do every day!! Like throwing stuffed animals in the toilet, for example!!

Special Trip to Arkansas

Allyson and I just got back to Texas from a wonderful trip to Arkansas to see all of our family. Our trip was full of going here and there and everywhere, but I can say I enjoyed every minute of it. Allyson had her first watermelon, popscicle, cantalupe (sp?), held her first kitten, (or should I say threw her first kitten), got plently of swimming in, and most importantly she got to see her Mammaw Griffith for the first time. We went to Springfield to see her in the nursing home and I am so glad we took the time to go up there. That could very well be Allyson's one and only visit with her due to her health failing rather fast. I am so thankful for the time we had with her. I know Allyson is too young to remember these trips home to Ar right now, but I do believe she knows how much she is loved by everyone who lives there. As hard as it is to live so far away, I think it makes us appreciate and understand the importance of family alot more. That is also true for being away from Hank for more than a week!! Absence does make the heart grow fonder!!