200th Post - Announcement

Can you believe this is our 200th post? I can hardly believe it myself. It seems as if the time has flown by since we began our adoption journey.

When we began our blog it was so that our extended family and close friends could follow along and feel close to our journey. I feel like we accomplished that and so much more. We have gained so many friends along this journey. Friends who helped us through many a rough day and night.

Analise being home has been the greatest joy and adventure. It is more than I ever imagined it to be. Today I was watching a movie and the line was, "You taught me that you can't be a perfect parent but that there are a million ways to be a great one." We think that one way to be a great parent is to protect your child from whatever you see fit. Which leads us to our announcement.

We will be ending this blog. We have ran the race to God's best gift and have accomplished with this blog what we set out to do. But have no fear, we will be opening a new blog about our lives. That blog will be private.

Here's the deal. It's a crazy world out there and you have to protect those around you. We have always been careful about not posting to much information but we don't want to do that anymore. We want to be able to share things with family & friends about our lives.

I regret to say that if you have never commented or contacted us personally you probably will not be invited to the blog. Unless, someone I know personally can confirm that you are who say you are.

I know this may seem stringent but this is what we think is best for our family. WE hope you all understand and support this decision.

FAMILY-Do not stress out about the private thing. I will help you get set up so you can still see the blog. Just email me and I will help you!!!

If you are interested in our private blog please email us at the following address: rednite713 at yahoo dot com

Family, replace the word at with @ and the word dot with . If you can't figure it out - CALL ME!!

It will probably be about a week before we end the blog. We will keep posting here until then.

Baby Food Chronicles - Part 2 (Yo Baby Yogurt)

Today, we decided to branch out and try yogurt. I wasn't sure whether I would receive a grin or a spit.

Yo Baby, Plus Fruit & Cereal Yogurt

First Bite. Go big or go home! Wait for it.

Wait for it!

Yes! It's a GRIN!!! We have a winner!!!


Analise is really starting to eat more of a variety of foods. The gag reflex is making very few appearances as of late. So, do any of you have any food recommendations? I am all about new ideas!

Already Favorite Foto Friday

Sorry to leave you all on pins and needles waiting for me to post this week! It's ok, you can be honest, you live to hear about the musings of my country fabulous life!

Well, today, we are headin' to the horse trainers. Here are a couple of shots of Analise ready to go for the day!!!

Sometimes Your Up and Sometimes Your Down

We were out at the riding arena and Analise really wanted out of her stroller. So, I let her sit on the step. She thought she was on top of the world!! Here's what went down!

Man, this is the best fun I've ever had!

Wait, maybe it isn't!

Yep, pretty sure it is no fun!

Wait, yeah, fun again. And, I'm covered in dirt! SWEET!

See Ya Monday!!!

Favorite Foto Friday

Pretty much the sweetest thing EVER!

A Family Needs Our Prayer and Support

It is very rare that I am ever moved to tears regarding the lives of other people. But I want to share this with all of you because I know you will stand with them.

I don't know these people only through a blog do I know their story. It will move you to the inner most part of your being. Trust me.

Long story short:

There is a Husband/Dad who is standing in the gap for his girls.
There is a Wife/Mother who is fighting for her life and has yet to meet her child.
There is a child fighting for a life with her parents.

Please go HERE and give them all the support you can possibly muster at this time. We need to stand in the gap for this precious family who is hanging by threads!!! Our God can move mountains so I know he can touch this family.

What I Know For Certain - Home 4 Weeks Today

* I love being a MaMaMa (as Analise says).
* Analise will definitely play an instrument of some sort some day.
* Hubby is just as wonderful a DaDa as he is a husband.
* I now do three extra loads of laundry a week.
* Pampers cruisers hold WAY more than Huggies.
* Just because the diaper is full, doesn't mean their done.
* Someone is finally utilizing the giant master tub (it's not me).
* There are never enough clean bottles.
* Tiny socks are now scattered in different places throughout my house.
* I love hearing happy baby babble on the monitor after her nap.
* It's better to feed Analise in a diaper - unless I want another load of laundry.
* My BOB Stroller with shocks is freaking AWESOME!!! Works great in the pasture!
* Children's Place jammies are wonderful. Even better at $6.99.
* My child brings joy everywhere she goes. She can melt the hardest hearts. Really.

I could go on and on but these are just a few things I know for certain!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Baby Food Chronicles - Part I (Prunes & Mac n Cheese)

We have decided to chronicle our attempts at baby food and merging into table food. Tonight our features of the day will be prunes and mac n' cheese.

The meal d'jour

Response after the first couple of bites.


Are you a mixer, a doubler or separatist? Meaning, when you have two foods do you a.)Mix the two foods together. b.)Put both on the same scoop but not mixed. or c.)One bite of each at a time. We are a doubler's and sometimes separatists. That's just how we roll!!

Not so sure after the first few bites. We were using the separatist method.

Pretty sure she would rather eat her bib than the food.

She will eat the prunes on their own but not the mac n' cheese. So, we decided to switch to the doubler method and it worked like a charm!! We figured out we have to hide the mac n' cheese in the prunes.

Apparently I wasn't feeding fast enough at this point.

Nose dive for the dropped prunes.

This is our new sippy cup. It is the Nuby Sport.

It's the first one she likes to use and pick up.

Closing with Cuteness


All in all, she liked the prunes and mac n' cheese but doubled up together. I think we (well she) will be having this meal again.

Cookies N' Cream Monster

It's official we have created a Cookies N' Cream monster. We decided to give her a taste of Cookies N' Cream ice cream. We are pretty sure she liked it!!!

Very first taste of Cookies N' Cream ice cream

Face immediately following first taste

All done. What?!?!?

Daddy, please can I have some more?

No? What do you mean it's all gone?

Well, I'll just go get it myself.

Howdy Y'all

Her first cowboy hat. One of the many Christmas gifts bestowed upon her this year.




BIG thank you's to Aunt Amy & Uncle Steve!!!

Good Morning, Sunshine

Every morning I wake up to a cheerful little face.

She immediately likes to sit down and play with her toys.

Always looking to me to play..

...or just be there for a helping hand.

So THANKFUL

Hope you enjoyed a glimpse into our morning.

Adventures in Ear Piercing

We went the Friday before Christmas to get Analise's ear pierced. It really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I think she cried more because of me holding her so tight.


Getting ready and not so sure about the ear piercing guy

Mommy, why did he put purple dots on my ears?

Post piercing and not so bad. She was really brave.


The best thing I did was save her lunch bottle until after the piercing. Worked wonders!!! Then she crashed because it was naptime.


Doesn't she look sweet?