For Grandma Cross

This video is for you, Grandma. We are still working on "I love you."

Weekend Fun

This weekend came and went very fast! Saturday day was pretty lazy, but Saturday night we went out with the gang to Don Pablo's to celebrate Jeremy's upcoming birthday.

Singing "Happy Birthday"

Lily dancing after dinner.

There were a lot of birthdays being celebrated that night and everytime the staff would sing to someone, Lily would clap along.

L to R: Jill, Megan, Brent, Lily, Babe, Jeremy, Mindy and Josh

Then, today we were supposed to drive down to Mansfield to see Chris and Kim, but they had to cancel. So, I got to go to lunch with Jill and her other bridesmaids after we got fitted for our dresses. We went to Fridays. Jill, Mindy, Me, Tracey (Jill's sis) and Trisha (Jill's cousin). Jill's wedding is in June down at Hocking Hills =)

Jill with her mom and sister. Tracey is also getting married this year in October.

Lily throwing Jill's pennies in the wishing well

20 Months and Play Date with Zachary!

Our peanut is 20 months old today, and I had the day off work for Martin Luther King Day. So Lily and I spent the day visiting friends. Here are a few pics and videos from our day...

We went to visit Jen and Zack. Jen made us yummy ravioli and we got to spend a few hours catching up while the kids played. Lily was a little shy this time.

Are you talking to me??

There's lots of screaming and squealing in this video...one of Lily's newest things to do.

Kai Cacioppo Prather

Lily and I went to see Katy, Dale and Kai today. When Katy sent out her text message the other night, she misspelled his name. I'm sure she was delirious from giving birth. He is really precious and Katy and Dale seem like the happiest parents on Earth.

Her labor and delivery were fairly uneventful. She went to the hospital Tuesday around 12:30 p.m. because she was having back pain and small contractions. She ended up having him around 7:30 that night and only pushed for about an hour.

Seeing this little guy really makes me want our little guy to come out. He'll be here before we know it, I'm sure!

Congratulations to Katy & Dale

Katy had a baby boy yesterday!! His name is Kia Cacioppo Prather. He weighed 7 pounds, 8 ounces and is 21 inches long. Mom and Baby are doing well.

I looked up his name in my baby book and it is African meaning new season's beginnings.

I haven't talked to Katy to see how it all went. I just got a text from her. I figure I'll wait until this weekend for the story =)

I'm excited that our baby boys will be so close in age =)

Lazy Weekend

The snow kept us in all weekend, which I didn't mind at all. Plus, Anson had a bout of the flu so that kept us in too. Sometimes it's really nice to stay home.

Puppy last night. He fell asleep on Lily's alligator. Anson went to bed really early so Sampson and I stayed up until 11, or should I say I stayed up and Sampson napped on the floor.
Babe shoveling us out.

Baby girl in her sled. Last year she was too little...this year she's too big! She wasn't a fan of it.

Lily was mesmerized by the snow. She just stood out there looking around.

Random videos...some from today, some from earlier this week. Lily's new word is "stuck." Everything and everyone is stuck. It's cute. She has been speaking more clearly lately. She says "mommy" very clearly =) When Anson was changing her the other day he said she said "I want my mommy."

Also, we've been able to completely take down the gate and let Lily and Sampson live together. They are really cute together chasing each other around the house. Lily squeals, and I'm sure Sampson cringes, but they have fun.

Lily playing in her kitchen

Lily trying to blow her pinwheel

Playing in the snow

Lily and puppy

Home Improvements

Anson and I have a 3 year house plan, which means we are staying here for about another 3 years so we can pay off some bills and hopefully save for our next house. Since that's the case, Anson wanted to make some small improvements to our home. So, for Christmas we got a lot of money and Home Depot gift cards. Here are the things we (mostly he) did.

Getting ready for Baby Boy. This will be the nursery for Baby Boy and I for the first 3 months. We bought this new twin bed for me to sleep in downstairs with him. Eventually it will be Lily's bed. We painted the room, hung curtains and cleaned out a lot of the junk that was in this room. When Baby boy gets here, we'll move Sampson's cage out so we can bring down the rocking chair from upstairs.

New lights! Anson bought and hung up new lights throughout our house.

New shelves to display my Willow Tree figurines. Someday I'll get a Curio cabinet, but for now, this will do!

Happy New Year!

2008 was a great year and Anson and I have so much to be thankful for. We have a great, loving relationship; a beautiful, sweet little girl; a precious baby boy on the way; a warm house that has become our home; parents and brothers who help us often, love us and whom we love very much; reliable work that provides for our family and many many friends who are as close to us as our family. God has truly blessed our lives!

2009 promises to be another great year with the birth of our baby boy. We are so excited and can't wait for him to arrive.

Last night we went to Brent & Megan's for a New Year's party. It was a great time. There were about 16 people there plus several little kids for Lily to play with.

Anson reading to Lily and the other 2 little girls that were at the party...

Anson and Uncle David

Lily and her friend playing with plastic cups...simple pleasures!

Lily stayed up the whole night and didn't fall asleep until the car ride home. So, since she was so tired we broke the binky rule and allowed her to have it early.

Lily trying to blow the horn but couldn't blow hard enough to make the noise.

We hope all of you have a wonderful New Year!