Lyla's Baptism...better late than never!

Hello all! Lyla was baptized. When you ask??? April 22, 2012. Well, we just got the pictures and I hope you'll find them worth the wait. It was a beautiful day in Big D that day. Her baptism was held at the 8:30 service in Cox Chapel at Highland Park UMC officiated by Rev. Jeff Hall. Is the word officiated even right for a baptism? Oh well, either way, you get the idea. We were fortunate to have a decent about of family there. My parents were there (duh...they live here and that is the service they go to every week). My sister, Melissa (will be known as Aunt Lissa) and my niece Isabel made it all the way from Louise, TX. We missed Mark and Walter, but were glad the girls could make it. My mom's mom and my dad's parents live here in Dallas as well, so they were there. Danny's parents made the trip from San Angelo as they wouldn't have missed it. Danny's sister Beth made the trip from ABQ and even brought a tag-a-long (no, not the girl scout cookies), one of my nieces Ashlynn. So, since you are likely more interested in pictures than words...here goes!

The whole group!

My lovely mother with her lovely mother!

L-R: Me, Lyla, my mom Sandy, my grandma Isabel, my sister Melissa, my niece Isabel.

My side of the fam!

Our sweet little fam (excluding Bevo...no dogs in church for some reason).

Our little fam take 2!

Danny's fam (l-r: Danny's dad Rob, sister Beth, niece Ashlynn, mom Deb, me, brother Michael, Lyla, Danny)

Our fam with the great Rev. Jeff Hall! Thanks for making our day so special! It was a great day and we were so excited to have so many loved ones around!

Are you still there?

First of all, might I apologize for not posting since December. For shame! While on maternity leave, I had thoughts of grandeur that I would post at least once per week like my over-achiever sister-in-law Beth. For those of you who are parents, you know where the time goes when you're off work. For those of you who aren't...I don't know where the time went. Okay, I do. I spend any and all free waking hours with the light our lives. That right, Lyla joined us at the end of November, just a few short days before her due date. We have loved every moment with her. Here are some recaps before I share some pictures... She started "school" at just 11 weeks old. She is the youngest of 8 in her class. She has fantastic, loving teachers and I think she really likes it in her class. She never cries when I drop her off and is always smiling when I sneak a peek during the day. What a blessing to be able to work in the same building in which she has preschool. Though 7 of her friends will move into a new class in August, she will stay in the same room and be the ruler of the class. Currently, there is a little boy about a year older than her in her class that is in love with her. Red-head Jack walks around the room shouting "Lala" which is his way of saying Lyla. Now, that has become somewhat of a nickname for her. She has made it through her first cold, RSV and pink eye and none of those slowed her down. She has moved from just formula, to formula and baby food and has now been given the go ahead for real food...though mommy is nervous to start that. Her dog brother Bevo loves her. He wasn't quite sure what to think at first, but now he likes to be close to her. He is not aggressive at all and it is so cute to see her next to this 85 pound lap dog. She has made her first trip to San Angelo and Abilene and will soon be visiting the beach for the first time. I promise to try and update the blog after that. She was baptized at the end of April. When I see some pictures from that weekend, so will you. Can you sense some frustration in that tone. She is quite talkative. Though she still talks in baby language only, it is so fun to hear her attempt at conversation. Besides the kids in her class, she has spent time with her friend McCall who is 3 weeks older than her, her friend Harper who is about 6 weeks younger than her and her cousin Allie who is 6 months older than her. She LOVES her bouncer! It is hilarious to watch her in that. She has two teeth coming in that are SO cute and they don't seem to bother her. She is overall just the happiest baby and only really cries when she is ready to eat and you're not moving fast enough for her. Can't blame her on that one. So,without further adieu...let me share some photos with you...sorry for the formatting...I tried to fix it, but got tired of the process! You get the idea though. Lyla-1 month old Lyla-2 months old Lyla-3 months old Lyla-4 months old Lyla-5 months old Lyla-6 months old And here are some firsts: First Family Christmas Picture First Playdate with McCall (3 weeks older than Lyla) First time meeting Harper (6ish weeks younger than Lyla) First Day of School First school carnival...she was impressed! First time in a high chair (she didn't actually eat anything) First shoulder ride So, that's all I've got for now. I can promise to TRY to update more often...but that's the best I can offer. I hope this message finds everyone well. Blessings to all!