Jeans!

This is Clara's first time to wear jeans! I thought she looked so cute that I had to post some pics!

Well, Robby and I have been looking for a house a lot lately. There are so many on the market, we are just having a hard time finding that perfect place! We have been looking a lot in the Cahaba Heights, Homewood, and Holleywood areas..... but either the houses are too expensive, or too ugly! We have also looked at some areas downtown, without any luck. The houses we could afford aren't exactly in the best areas! We will keep looking, I mean there really isn't a huge rush, but it would be nice to have our own place again! On another note, I finally decided to go back to work. It's not that I want to leave Clara, I just feel the need to keep my nursing license and skills. I hope to find a good balance between mommyhood and working. People are usually pretty opinionated on the subject. It is one of those issues that people feel strongly about, but will always feel like what they are doing is the best. Well, that is the way it should be.... right? I mean, people aren't typically going to do something with their own children by choice that they feel isn't the right thing to do. I just get really aggravated at those people who don't respect other peoples decisions. There is hardly ever one right way to do things! Anyways, I am hoping for a position at Children's Hospital, I will let everyone know more about it when I find out if I can have the job for sure! It really would be the best job for me right now, so I really have my fingers crossed!

The Big Day!

Clara in her new dress and Robby in his tux before the wedding! Mr. Austin and his sons: Rhett, Ryan, & Robby

Robby, me, and Clara are ready for the ceremony to begin! Rob was a groomsmen and I was a bridesmaid.

This is Clara and Valerie's grandfather

Valerie pinning on Rhett's flower before the ceremony

Valerie and her mother

Valerie getting ready before the wedding! It took Melissa forever to button all the buttons on the back of her dress with tweezers!!

Clara had a lot of fun getting ready with everyone!

Mia, the flower girl!

Well, Rhett and Valerie finally tied the knot last Saturday! The wedding day was beautiful and everything went just as planned. These are just a few of the pictures that I took before the wedding.

She stands!!!

I know, it's crazy how fast she is growing! She can now stand up and will even let go of whatever she is holding onto for a brief second before she realizes what she has done and quickly sits down!!!!

Valerie's Tea

Clara and I in our room, getting ready for the party! The other hostesses brought so many wonderful things to eat! Valerie and I

Mrs. Austin's church friend's children! Sooo sweet!

Mrs. Sentenn, Clara, me, and Jill

Mrs. Sentenn, Aunt Alison, Mrs. Wilson, Aunt Linda, Aunt Patsy, and I gave a Tea for Valerie this past Sunday at my house! It was really fun and turned out beautiful. Here are some pictures from the day. Other people took more pictures than I had time to take, so I will post some of those when I get them. I was really happy that so many people came and that it was such a beautiful day for the children to play outside!

Noah and the jetplane?

My sister's oldest son, Thomas, gave Clara two Little Peoples sets. One was of a plane with a pilot and passengers, and the other was of Noah, his ark, and some animals. Last night, Thomas and Clara were playing in the floor with these new toys. I was reading something and could hear Thomas saying, "Everyone get in, hurry, the rain's coming down hard"! I looked down at them and to my surprise, Noah had gathered all of his animals two by two and placed them in the passenger seats of the jet plane! To top it off, Noah, himself, with robe and staff were placed in the pilot's seat ready for take off! I laughed so hard tears were literally streaming down my face! Below is a picture of what Thomas and baby Clara had done!

Fun with family

Thomas took this picture, I thought it was great!

Thomas, Poppie (my dad), and Clara!

Clara has started pulling up on things! She just did it! I am still afraid to not be behind her when she does though because she is very wobbly!

Thomas and Clara love to play together!

Party for Rhett & Valerie

Rhett and Valerie Clara loves her Uncle Ryan! He was the only person besides me that she would let hold her at the party today!

Clara and mommy are all dressed up! The little girl in the picture above belongs to one of the families in the Austin's church! I thought it was so cute that she was sound asleep on the floor on her daddy's jacket with a party going on around her! The Austin's church had a party for Rhett and Valerie today after their service. It was so nice. Valerie's mother came down from Chicago for the party, which I thought was really great! Clara on the other hand, did not want to be there! She was cranky from the start. She wasn't putting on a show or anything, but she would have nothing to do with anyone other than me and her Uncle Ryan! I guess it was just a lot of unfamiliar people in an unfamiliar place! Poor thing!

First time on a playground!

We took Clara to Spain Park yesterday and let her swing for the first time and she loved it! She was squealing and laughing, it was adorable!

Happy New Year!

Robby, Jarrod, Phillip

Me, Beth, Jeanine

Rob and I went out to eat at Brio with some old acquaintances/new friends for the New Year. It was really fun! Probably one of my top 2 New Years :) I was really impressed with the food, service, and atmosphere of Brio. I would definitely recommend it to anyone and I don't even like Italian food!