Justin and Rachel Dillard

Stock Show

2012-01-21T13:22:00.000-06:00

Since the stock show is going on right now in Fort Worth, Justin and I decided to take Em. She had a blast! We walked through the barns and saw the donkeys, cows, horses and pigs. Em loved seeing all the animals! She had no problem with the animals with the exception of the cows. She was fine with them as long as they didn't come up to the front of the stalls. She didn't like them getting too close. When they would get up and start moving towards her she would yell "no walk cows, no walk!"

Her favorites were the FFA Childrens' Barn, Horse Barns, Petting Zoo and Pony Ride. Everyone was so incredibly nice. Several of the folks opened up their horse stalls to let us come in and pet their horses. Em was so happy!

Em and I checking out the pigs at the Childrens' barn. We were laughing at the piglets. They had a heat lamp set up and the piggies were piling up in the corner.

Riding the pony. She and Scooter had fun. While riding she informed me that she needed a horse. Here is a video of her riding. I can just see in a few years us taking a stab at riding lessons.

Soccer

2012-01-21T12:51:00.001-06:00

Today was Em's last soccer game. All season she hasn't been that big a fan. Usually we have to drag her on the field and watch her cry that the other kids are not sharing. Well last week she did better but, this week she was an ALLSTAR!!! She ran all over that field kicking the ball and even scored a goal! I am sad to say she was a complete ball hog! I think that Aunt Renee and Ga showing up caused Miss Priss to show off.

After the game we took team photos and received medals!

Group shot. Go team Apple Slice!

Proud little girl with her medal!

Houston Aquarium

2011-12-29T14:58:00.000-06:00

While in Houston, we went to see the Houston Aquarium. Pops joined us.

Checking out the fish with Pops.

I see a fish.

One of the tanks.

Fake smilein front of a tank.

Checking out the sting ray tank.

They are getting close mommy!

No I don't want to touch!!!!

Deep sea diver Em!

One tired tiger!

Em and Pops posing with the tiger.

Merry Christmas from the Family

2011-12-29T14:41:00.003-06:00

Christmas Eve we went over to Justin's Grandma, Em's Great Grandma, house for a family dinner. Em had so much fun passing out gifts and opening her presents. She is so spoiled!

Playing Santa.

Helping Grandma open her presents.

The entire family! Three generations in one picture. Merry Christmas from the Family!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2011-12-07T20:36:00.001-06:00

The other day after going to the Dbat Lakeside grand opening, we stopped by my parents' house to let Em take a nap. Their house is significantly closer to Rowlett than our house. When Em woke up Ga, mommy and Aunt Nae were decorating Ga's Christmas tree. Em had so much fun helping out.

Pretending to play the horn; backwards.

Em thinks she is incredibly strong and likes to pick up anything and everything. Luckily, this was almost empty.

Putting the angel on top of the tree.

Being silly with daddy. She looked like one of those statues on the front of a pirate ship

Cuddling with Daddy and Hunter.

Love you Ga! She had to say thank you! We have actually been working with Em on her manners and saying please and thank you.

Soccer!

2011-12-07T20:26:00.001-06:00

Some friends of ours from church have a little boy the same age as Em. They told us about a 2-year old soccer league they had signed their son up for. We decided to sign Em up as well. We arrived Saturday not sure how it would go. To our surprise it went very well. She had so much fun running around the field, playing inside the goal and even kicked the ball 3 or 4 times. She was also so excited to see a friend from school playing on the other team. Below are the pictures from The Apple Slices (Em's team) playing The Orange Slices.

Pre-game warm-up playing with the arcade games.

Looks like she is having fun.

Go Apple Slices!

The field was definitely a little crowded. 10 kids, 10 parents, 2 coaches and a ref. Each kid gets to have a parent on the field to help out. Em would run up to the pack saying "Emeline's turn, Emeline's turn!"

Emeline and her daddy!

My Pretty

2011-12-07T20:13:00.001-06:00

As we began decorating for Christmas, I wanted to find a way to get Em involved. While at the store I came across this wreth kit. Em had so much fun decorating it. She was so proud and calls it her pretty.

Ga and Pawpaw's House

2011-08-22T21:09:00.004-05:00

This past Saturday we spent the day and evening with my parents (Ga and Pawpaw). We headed over to their house in time for lunch and then Em took a nap and Ga and I ran to a baby shower. We then spent the rest of the evening hanging out and catching up. It had been about a month since we last saw them.

The next morning after breakfast Em went outside to join Pawpaw in watering the flowers. From the pictures below you can probably see that she watered herself more than the flowers. Grandparents will let their grandkids get away with anything. I stood there and watched her play and once she was soaked decided to actually take some pictures.

The Circus

2011-08-13T20:52:00.002-05:00

The Circus came to town this weekend. Justin and I decided that it might be fun to take Em. So, I got tickets and we went. Em did ok. She is very independent and struggled with being carried around downtown. However, once we got inside and she could walk she was in awe. We got their early enough to do the pre-show. She loved seeing the acts up close and dancing around the rings.

Trying on one of the ring master's jackets.

They had free clown noses. We picked one up and she loved it!!! Although, her nose is still so small that it didn't stay on that well.

I think this picture is when the circus had just started and they were marching in.

Eating her first cotton candy. Uncle Mike this picture is just for you! Although, she wasn't that biggest fan. She would just eat small bites. I think she found the texture weird. Her favorite was the pretzel.

We took several pictures of the show but, here was Em's favorite. The elephants.

There was so much going on that she really struggled with keeping focused on the show. Whenever there were animals involved she would watch. All the other parts, not that interested. Our seats weren't the best view but, our section wasn't full and we had plenty of room to spread out resulting in Em having plenty of room to move around. All in all it was a good time.

First Day of School

2011-08-13T20:43:00.003-05:00

As I said in the last post, I have returned to work. I was excited and nervous to take Em to her first day of school. Here are some pictures of the first morning. During the summer she gets to wear whatever we want but, starting on 8/22 she has to wear a uniform. I will post pictures of our first day in uniform when that happens but, in the mean time here is our first day of school.

Laughing at mommy singing the good morning song.

You know you are jealous of this hair!

All dressed with our hair tamed.

Eating some breakfast at our big girl table. Now we eat at school but, that day I made her a special breakfast.

My little girl is getting so big!

Hi, remember us!

2011-08-13T20:31:00.002-05:00

Yes, it has been too long since I updated that blog. The truth is my laptop stopped working and it took me about 3 months to get it in and repaired. Then, summer hit and we have been busy. Lastly, life has changed for the Dillard's...I have returned to work. After several discussions, a few tears and tons of prayers, I made the decision to return to work. I found a job with a bank doing what I did before. I just finished my second week and I LOVE it. It feels good to be back in the working world. I think I am making the adjustment to being a working mom well...although, I need to figure out when to get the house work done.

So many of you are wondering what about Em. We have enrolled her in a christian based daycare and she is doing very well. We still have a few tears every morning when I drop her off but, her reports are that she is doing very well during the day and making friends. She is even taking naps at school; something I was very worried about. I think she is still adjusting to a hour nap versus her 3 hour naps but, she really isn't cranky when she comes home.

All in all, we are doing well and I promise to be better about updating the blog somewhat regularly.

Update on the Pool

2011-02-24T14:58:00.002-06:00

We are nearing the finish of the completion of our pool. The tile, rock work and decking are complete. We are just awaiting the rerouting of our sprinklers and plastering. Then we will be swim ready once the warm weather gets here.

Weekend Visitors

2011-02-24T14:52:00.003-06:00

This past weekend our friends Mark, Kendra and Caden came to visit us. Caden is a year older than Em. They had so much fun playing together but, by the end of their trip both kiddos were worn out. Below are some pictures of their stay.

Chocolate chip cookies before bed.

Enjoying some cinnamon toast for breakfast together.

Swinging in the park.

Super Bowl Party

2011-02-07T14:26:00.003-06:00

Yesterday we had some guests over for the Super Bowl. Brian (works with Justin), Molly and Madeline and our neighbors James, Lauren and Lindsey. James' wife Jill wasn't feeling well so she didn't make it. While the game was entertaining, most of the fun was upstairs in the game room. Emeline found a friend in Lauren. She just adored her. I see lots of playtime in our future.

Em and Lauren

Playing with the telephone.

Madeline and Lindsey

Snow Day!!!

2011-02-07T14:10:00.004-06:00

Starting late Monday night an ice storm hit the metroplex. The freezing temps kept the ice around and then Friday morning we woke up to snow!!! We got a solid dusting. Here are some pictures of us playing in the snow.

Justin's truck covered.

View of the house.

The spa and pool were filled with snow.

Solid white.

Rosie and Daisy enjoying a little playtime.

Em had fun as well.

She stomped all over the yard.

And she loved watching the girls play.

Bending down to get some snow.

Giving it a taste.

First Time Finger Painting

2011-01-21T16:22:00.003-06:00

I have always loved art. When I was younger every summer I would take art classes; painting (oils and water color) and ceramics. I haven't done any of this in sometime. With the cold weather and our backyard torn up, I thought we could try finger painting.

A couple of weeks ago I went online, to find some recipes for homemade finger paints. I bought all the goods and then was going to make some. Then, I realized that I had to cook the finger paints. So instead I took some pudding that I had and added food coloring.

Starting out. She does look a little tired. We dropped our first nap this week and is still adjusting.

Love that squishy feeling!!!

About halfway through she decided to try out the paint. Mmmm...pudding.

She would paint a little and then taste a little.

I see lots of finger painting in our future!!! I can't wait to cover my fridge with artwork.

The Next Big Step

2011-01-21T16:13:00.002-06:00

The workers were back out the very next day to put in plumbing, electrical, equipment and rebar. With each day it is starting to look more and more like a pool.

Emeline's 15 Month Stats

2011-01-21T15:54:00.002-06:00

Today, we went to the doctor for her 15 month well visit. It was a bittersweet appointment. Today was our last appointment with Dr. Coco. We love Dr. Coco and are so sad to leave him but, it is too far of a drive. Em was a little fussy with at her appointment but, gave Dr. Coco lots of fives.

She is still a big girl. Upper 95th percentile in height and weight. She weighed 27 lbs 14 ounces and was 33 1/2 inches tall.

We are so blessed in so many ways but, having Em in our lives is by far one of the best blessings!

A Fun Day....

2011-01-18T20:39:00.004-06:00

Our day began today with trying something new for Emeline. I made her waffle but, to try something different I gave her a little bowl of syrup for her to dip her bites into. She loved it! And to my surprise she didn't make near the mess that I thought she would.

Next, we had our first visitors of the day. The excavation team got here to begin digging our pool! Emeline had so much fun watching them. She kept an eye on them all day. The original plan was that they would be done by lunch time. About 2 hours into digging we got some bad news. They had hit rock. So out came the jackhammer and tons of noise. I felt so bad for our neighbors. Hopefully, most of them were at work. Luckily the rock only caused them a delay of a few hours and we now have a huge hole in our backyard.

Emeline keeping a watchful eye.

The finished product! Well, the digging is done. Tomorrow they will be back to do the electrical and plumbing.

This evening we had some friends over for dinner. Ben, Kim and their two boys (Ben and Ethan) joined us for dinner. It was so wonderful to catch up with them. The boys had fun playing with Emeline's baby toys and Emeline played with their big boy toys. Ben and Kim live literally 2 miles from our new house. We are so excited and look forward to hanging out again with them soon.

Emeline at 15 Months

2011-01-16T17:28:00.002-06:00

Yesterday Emeline turned 15 months or 1 1/4 year old. It might not seem like a big milestone but, it amazes me how much she has changed in the past 3 months.

She is now a big walker. She walks everywhere. We still have little falls from time to time but, for the most part she has this walking thing down.
She is very talkative. She has several words/phrases she uses on a daily basis. Here are a few: all done, car, ball, juice, cup, uh-oh, pease (please), mama, dada, papa, nene (Aunt Renee), Gu (Gram), puppy, Dasdy (Daisy), bye-bye, hi and Bird.
She is very particular and I think she has OCD. She gets that from her daddy. She can't stand to have doors open and things out their place.
She can climb up and down her new stairs but, only with an adult.
She loves exploring and coloring.
If she could spend every minute outside she would. This kiddo loves the outdoors regardless of temperature.
She loves her dogs and giving them hugs. Rosie pretty much avoids Em and Daisy has been so good with Em.
Em also loves music and dancing and reading books. I have to sing Ring Around the Rosie at least 10 times per day.
She has also developed such a distinct personality. She is very independent and opinionated. Has the sweetest smile and gives the best kissers.
She loves playing telephone. She will take my cell phone, the tv remote, or her hand and pretend to talk. She has her own language but, it is the cutest.

We have her 15 month check-up this Friday. Once I have her stats I will post them. I will also post pictures of the little miss.

A Crazy Month

2011-01-16T16:58:00.002-06:00

We have had a crazy month. On December 20th we closed on our house or at least signed the documents. We did not fund until the 21st. So on the 21st we moved. Yes, we moved into our new house the week of Christmas. So, Christmas was crazy. We tried to give some what of a normal Christmas to Em by spending Christmas Eve at my parents.

Christmas morning was amazing!!! I brought Em down for breakfast and Gram was in the kitchen making breakfast. Thinking that she would go straight to Gram I put Em down. She took one look at Gram and one look at what Santa had brought and made a dash for Santa's goodies. We were all caught off guard. Justin was still upstairs, PawPaw was in his office. All Mom and I could do was scream hurry up!!! Em loved all her gifts. Justin and I loved that she enjoyed it all. This was Em's first Christmas where she actually enjoyed Santa and opening gifts; as opposed to the previous year when she slept through it all.

We kept Christmas going by heading down to Houston Christmas Day and spending time with Justin's family. We had Christmas dinner with Pops, Uncle Drew and Aunt Erin. Then on the 26th we headed to Grandma's house (Justin's Grandma) for a family lunch.

You are probably wondering where all the pictures are. Well, I didn't take any. I will the mom of the year award. I attribute the lack of pictures due to the fact that Em still needed help opening presents and I was busy. I know that the grandparents took lots of pictures so hopefully they will share.

After we returned from Houston, we have spent the past couple of weeks trying to put the house together. It is still a work in progress but, we are getting close. It has been an adjustment. The house is amazing and it is so nice to have so much room. Oh, and it is so nice for Justin's commute to only be 20-30 minutes. He gets home in time to play with Em while I cook dinner. We are still working on finding a church home and learning where to eat and shop. It will take time but, we will get it all figured out.

I think things are starting to settle down and hopefully, I will get better at posting again.

The House is Complete...Almost

2010-12-08T13:11:00.004-06:00

Last night we had our walk through with the builder. The house is pretty much complete. The are installing the appliances today and after a few touch ups we will be done!!! We should close on our house next week!!!

We had so much with the blue tape marking little things here and there that need to be touched up. Em even joined in. Although towards the end she was pulling tape off of the walls.

Living Room

My Kitchen!!! In case you can't tell, this is my favorite room.

Another shot of the kitchen. Check out my back splash!

View of the breakfast nook.

Em testing out the stairs. This is the first time she has climbed stairs and she climbed them all the way to the top.

Em and Aunt Renee checking out the backyard and our grass. It is too dark right now to see the fence but, they are only in the middle of the backyard. We are so excited!!!

I will post pictures one more time before we move all of our furniture in and then again after I have everything setup. I just can't believe that our house is done and we are a week from owning it!

Thanksgiving

2010-11-29T08:20:00.003-06:00

For Thanksgiving this year we stayed in Dallas. My Uncle Sonny came in town and we went over to my Aunt Vicki's for Thanksgiving dinner.

Em watching football with PawPaw. It looks like she is crying but, she is actually laughing.

I was so excited about this outfit and her little curl-ponytail on top of her head.

After dinner, Em went shopping. Here Aunt Vicki is going through her basket with her. Aunt Vicki, the constant teacher, was showing Em the correct pronunciation for each item.

And, she is off.

Friday morning after Thanksgiving we did meet up with Uncle Drew and Aunt Erin before the heading back to Houston. They were in town visiting Erin's family. We joined them for breakfast. I didn't get any pictures but, Em loved getting to see them again.

The Friday after Thanksgiving we went to the new Mexican restaurant in Frisco. Aggie owned and operated, Tupy's became an instant favorite of Em. They put us in this half table-half booth set-up, so Em and the men sat on one side and mom and I sat on the other. I guess this is the first time she has sat next to PawPaw during dinner. Every now and then she would reach over touch his arm and lean her head in. It just melted my heart. Oh, and in case you didn't know Mexican food is Em's favorite. While at Tupy's she ate probably 3 corn tortillas, beef fajitas, rice and two scoops of guacamole. And, she got to try sopapillas. Poor little girl was so full but, she still had a few bites. I mean who can turn down sopapillas???

This past Thanksgiving week, Houston-College Station-Dallas, really put on my heart what we are thankful for. We, are so blessed to have family and friends that love us and the opportunity to spend time with them. There are family and friends out there we haven't seen in awhile and I just want to send love to them. We miss you all and hope to see you soon. I am also very thankful for Em to have grandparents that love and dote on her.

A busy weekend...

2010-11-29T07:58:00.003-06:00

The weekend of the 20th we drove all over the state of Texas; well, it felt like it. On Friday night, we drove to Houston to have dinner with Pops, Uncle Drew and Aunt Erin.

After dinner, we drove to College Station. This was Em's first time in Aggieland so you would think I would take tons of pictures. Nope, I took just a couple. Here is one. This is Em and Mark watching the Ags beat the Cornhuskers. We did take Em on campus. We went up to tailgate with friends before the game. The atmosphere was amazing!!! 90,000 plus in the stands and probably at least another 10,000 outside enjoying. We love Aggie Football! Em enjoyed running around following Caden (our friend's 2 year old). She did so well with all the noise and people.

Mr. Mark.

While in CS we stayed with Eryn and Clint. They were so nice to let us stay and let Em terrorize their house. Em was completely in love with their dog Molly, a yellow lab. Molly and Em would play and chase each other it was so cute!!! Thanks again to Eryn and Clint for letting us stay. On Sunday morning, we drove back to Houston after breakfast. This time we went to Grandma's (Em's great-grandma's house). While there we got to hang out with Mimi, Grandma, Aunt Erin and Uncle Drew. She had so much fun with everyone.

Visiting after lunch.

Playing with Grandma.

Em loves to clap other people's hands together. Of course Grandma obliged her. There are three generations in this picture!!! We are so blessed that Em has had the opportunity to get to spend time with Grandma.

House Update

2010-11-29T07:20:00.002-06:00

It has been awhile since I posted the last house update. The house is about 3 weeks from being complete. The cabinets are in, walls are textured and painted and the brick is done as you can see in the pictures below. Justin and I are getting excited; we are so close!!! These pictures are a week old and they did get some more done the week of Thanksgiving. The front door is in (not stained), fence posts are up, tile floors are in and the drive way has been poured. They should install the counters and carpet this week.

I have started getting quotes on blinds and shutters for the house. My mom and I are going to make the valances and window seat cushion for the living room and breakfast nook. Justin and I are still picking out the fabric for these.

View of the front. I love this brick; it has so much texture.

My front porch!!!

View of the back of the house.

My bay window looking into the backyard.

View standing in the breakfast nook looking into the kitchen. Look at all those cabinets. I am going to have tons of counter space. I see many a get together and cooking in this kitchen.

As I said before, we are about three weeks away from getting our house. The bad news if you do the math that is the week before Christmas. This of course means that we will be moving over the holidays; something I said I would never do. I guess the good news is that Em is still too young to know what is going on and she is getting to experience all the holiday cheer at my mom's house. For those of you that know my mom, Christmas is in full effect at Gram's house complete with lit trees, stockings and presents wrapped.

1 Year Portraits

2010-11-17T07:35:00.005-06:00

I have been meaning to post these for a week now. I have just been busy keeping up with Miss Priss and working. That's right, I said working. I have found a part time job that I can do from home. Basically, I am preparing work-out packages and I love it!!! I am truly blessed to get to do two things that I a love; underwriting and stay at home mom.

Back to the pictures! Once again, Chelsi out did her self. I love the pictures! Check out her website if you are in need of pictures! Surely Sweet Here are a few of my favorites.

I didn't even know that Chelsi took this picture and it is by far my favorite. I don't know why. I just love her curls. Every day they become more prominent. Poor little girl she got my hair.

House Update

2010-10-20T15:20:00.004-05:00

On Monday, Justin had to run by the house to drop some paperwork off. He called me in amazement that there was a house sitting on our lot; we hadn't been out in about 2 weeks. So, today Em, my dad and I went out to take a look. Yes, there was a house sitting there. Below are some pictures. Most of the pictures that I took were of the wiring to keep in case there is ever a question of where a wire is ran once the house is complete.

Oh, and timeline update. Troy our builder was out there and he and I visited on timeline. He said that we are waiting on the city to inspect the work to date then they will begin sheet rock. Once they start sheet rock we are 30 days out. Enjoy the pictures!

View of the front of the house and the brick!

View of the back of the house.
View of the wiring in the living room. If you look closely you will see surround sound and two CAT 5 boxes for multiple tvs in the living room.

This is the garage. That web of black tubes on the wall is the water manifold. Not quite sure why we need this but, it allows us to control the amount of hot or cold water that goes to certain faucets.

Em peaking at me through the breakfast bar. Eventually, that side will have high top chairs and this side will be my sink and dishwasher. She enjoyed walking around and playing peek-a-boo.

Smash Cake Video

2010-10-20T09:56:00.001-05:00

Here is the video from Em's smash cake. As you will notice she really liked the icing. Dada (Justin) had to help her get into the cake. We are very proud of our little girl. She wasn't near the mess I thought she would be.

Em's 1st Birthday!!!

2010-10-20T07:15:00.007-05:00

Yes, she made it to a year! Maybe I can do this mom thing. She had a very busy birthday weekend. It started with a trip to the doctor Friday morning for her 1 year well visit. The doctor said she looked very healthy and the ear infection had cleared up. Her stats were weight 27 lbs 13 oz and height 32 1/4 inches. This keeps her in the upper 95th percentile. It was funny looking at her chart her curve completely mirrored the curve for an average baby's first year of life. It was just 1 inch higher on the scale.

Friday afternoon while waiting on our family from Houston to drive up we went to Double Dip in Frisco for Em to have a birthday custard. They have a baby cup (little dixie cup with two little scoops in it) but, Em was much more interested in Gram's cone.

Big girl using her spoon.Well, maybe it is easier with my hands.

Nope, the cone is where it is at.

On Saturday, we had Em's party. We had lots of family and friends attend. Below are a few pics from the party.

A few watching the Ranger game.

Em making her rounds saying hi to everyone. Notice the Ranger dress. Go Rangers!!!

Time for cake.

A few bits in. She really liked it.

Milk break.

Misha and Whitt.

Present time.

She had no problem finding the goodies inside the bags.

Coming back after one of her many escapes. Her guests were playing with her toys while she unwrapped her presents and she thought she should join them.

She was a very blessed little girl.

I have video of her smash cake. I am in the process of uploading it to youtube. Once it is loaded I will post it here.

This year has flown by. Em is such a big girl now. She is talking, saying "all done, bye bye, dada, hi, ball, uh-oh, and pawpaw." She is walking but, not all the time and is in either 2T to 3T clothes. Although, they are long on her. She is our little blessing and while she has her moments is as sweet as can be. We love this little girl and cherish every moment we have with her. Mommy and Daddy love you Emeline Kay.

We are Vertical!!!

2010-10-09T21:47:00.004-05:00

Last Friday night Em and I meet Justin at the house after he got off of work. We were very excited to see that the slab had been poured and we were vertical! They had started framing and from the looks were pretty far along with the first floor. Yay!

View of the front.

View of the back.

Another view of the back.

I can do it...

2010-10-05T07:38:00.003-05:00

Everyday Em is getting more and more independent. Especially when it comes to eating. She is starting to refuse certain food that we have to feed her. So, we have been trying hard find as many "finger' foods that she will eat. When she started eating finger foods we were very limited. It seemed that Eggo's and grilled cheese were all that she would eat. She was very texture adverse. Anything sticky or squishy she wouldn't touch. Well, that has all changed. Last night she had red beans, mac n cheese and broccoli. She even tried using her silverware. However, after awhile just got frustrated and started picking it up with her hands. Then, started exploring the texture and made a mess. Needless to say we had a bath promptly after we had finished.

House Pics Part Two

2010-10-03T16:24:00.005-05:00

At first I thought I would track number of days under construction but, I thought that might just end up frustrating me. Especially since it took 7 weeks to get permits. So, instead I will track our outings to the house.

We went out today after Em's nap to take a look. We were hoping that the slab would be poured but, it wasn't. By the pictures below you can see that they have made some progress. They have dug the trenches for the plumbing and it is ready for inspection by the city. I believe they should have done this Friday or will do it Monday.View looking from the street.

Closer look.

Em Inspecting the work. She had so much fun walking the lot.

View looking back at the house from the deepest part of the lot.

Em and her daddy walking the lot.

Another shot of the back of the house. The left will be the patio and the right is our bay window in the master.

Em and daddy discussing where her swing set will go.

This little girl loves her daddy.

We plan on going out to look at the house every other week. Em does pretty good on the way out but, the way back is a little tough. Our little girl is so active now that she hates being confined. So, long drives in the car are tough. Luckily the Yukon has a dvd player and we have Baby Einstein. She watched the entire show on the way back. Quiet and happy. We don't plan on using the dvd player for in town trips but, the long times in the car it does come in handy.

Pumpkin Patch

2010-09-26T18:45:00.007-05:00

Today we joined some friends from church at the Big Orange Pumpkin Patch. Emeline had so much fun! There was so much to see and touch; she loved it. Here are a few of the 50 something pictures that we took.

Not to sure about these sheep. They were very pushy.

Climbing the fence to see the cows. She liked these guys. They didn't move too fast.

Feeding the goats.

Back to the cows. Like I said they were her favorite.

Taking a picture with Pooh.

Em and I. My crazy face as I tried to get her to laugh.

The family!

All the kiddos and dads.

The moms and kiddos.

Our little fall blessing.

Playing in the pumpkins.

Riding the tractor with daddy.

Look, I can do it myself.

All punkins!!!

Enjoying the hay ride. She stood like this for 10 minutes. She loved watching him drive the tractor.

I think this is a great picture of Justin and Em.

If you notice in the last few pictures Em wasn't wearing her pumpkin shirt. As we were carrying her the shirt kept rising up and the sequins were cutting her face. I felt so bad but, it didn't seem to bother her one bit.

New House

2010-09-23T16:00:00.003-05:00

Here are some pics of the new house. Not much to look at right now. The forms are down and they are working the plumbing this week. The pictures though show off the lot very nicely.

This opening will be the garage.

Homeless!!!

2010-09-23T11:40:00.002-05:00

On Tuesday we sold our first house. That is right we are no longer home owners. We are in the process of building a new house in Keller/Fort Worth. We FINALLY have permits and they should be pouring the foundation in the next couple of weeks. We are very excited about our new house. The lot is huge and we love the floorplan. We have had so much fun picking out the fixtures, granite and colors for the house. When we met with the builder the other day he commented on all that we are adding onto the house. We said we plan on living in the house for awhile. He said he loved what we are doing.

I will try and post pictures of the house as it is under-construction. I meant to include the pictures of the forms in this post but, my camera is in the room with Em as she naps. Not going to risk waking her.

Oh, and you are probably wondering where we are living. My parents were so nice to allow us to move in with them. So, there are 5 adults, 3 dogs and 1 baby living under one roof until the end of November. Should be fun. Oh, and did I mention that my parents are trying to sell their house. They must really love me or really want to spend time with Em before she moves out west.

I'm Walking!!!

2010-09-22T16:21:00.003-05:00

That is right, Em has taken her first few steps! Below is a video of her walking to me. Yes, she did take a little fall and the end but, she just picked herself up and tried again.

We cannot believe how big she is!!!

Playgroup

2010-08-24T14:12:00.003-05:00

This weeks playgroup was at our house. As I was uploading the pictures I took I thought it would be fun to compare to some old pics of playgroup.

Back when everyone just laid there. Expect for Samuel. He was sitting.
A month or two later. We are still all pretty much staying in one place.

Here are the pictures from today's playgroup. Everyone is a moving.

Samuel and Piper holding hands while looking outside.

Everyone is on the move!

Today we had more toys, movement and a few spats. When we started the play dates it was really for the moms but, now it is definitely for the kids.

First Haircut

2010-08-18T11:43:00.003-05:00

In the past couple of months Em's hair has been growing a lot. Her bangs had started getting into her eyes. I tried using bows and clips to keep it out of her face but, her hair isn't thick enough yet to hold the bows. Given the thickness of her parents' hair I don't think this will be an issue once it has all grown in. So, in the meantime we decided to trim her bangs. We gave the honor of her first haircut to Grandpa. Back in the day, Grandpa used to cut hair to pay for school and gas. We have had lots of hairstylist in our family. Em's Great-Granny was a beautician, Em's Grandpa had his barber's license and her Aunt Renee has a cosmetology license. So, here are some pictures of the big event.

The before shot. Waiting on Grandpa to get started.

She didn't want to sit still. This was definitely a new experience.

A little better.

My mom kept using the barber's brush to dust away the trimmings. Em got a hold of it and thought she would tickle Grandpa.

All done! I think my dad did a great job; my little Beatle. Em was squirming all over the place. And. my dad's poor back was killing him. He had to bend in weird positions to get the right angle on little Em. Thanks Grandpa!!!

Crawling and Smiles

2010-08-12T14:16:00.003-05:00

We recently put our house on the market so, I have been incredibly busy getting the house ready. Today, I realized that I hadn't taken any pictures of Em lately (at least not with my good camera). So here are some pics we took while playing before nap time. With these you can see her crawling and pulling up to standing.

I love this face. I can call to Em from across the room and her she comes a crawling smiling.

Teethy grin. We have 2 1/4 teeth. A third tooth just popped through on the bottom.

Love this smile but, I am biased.

Big girl standing.

Laughing while playing.

Stop taking pictures mom!

Goodbye Jake

2010-08-10T08:51:00.003-05:00

This past week we lost the family dog, Jake. I call him the family dog because, he was. Jake belonged to no one person. I got Jake my senior year of high school. He was my dog. I cleaned up after him, feed him and he slept with me. He was my crying shoulder and always there to cheer me up. He had this amazing personality. He loved people. Didn't matter who you were if you came into the house you had to meet Jake. He made sure of it.

When I went off to A&M he was stolen; by my dad. Spending their days together they became the best of friends. They would take daily visits to the new house (under construction at the time) in the vette.

Jake was the best. There wasn't a mean bone in that dogs body. In fact, the one time he was bitten by another dog at a softball game Jake didn't do anything. Just took it. He was a special dog.

About 3 months ago Jake was diagnosed with lymphoma. Given his age, the family made a decision that we would just make Jake comfortable and not put him through chemo. Up until his passing he would swim 6 times a day and despite not feeling well was still good for a snuggle. Oh, and that dog loved Emmers. When we came over he would always have to come say hi to her.

Jake we are going to miss your twisty-butt, 100 mph, energetic self. You were loved and respected by all. The other night we were at my parents' house (where Jake lived) and my mom was feeding Casey, Rosie and Daisy. She tried to feed Daisy in Jake's bowl and she refused the food. You will be missed dude.

I am walking...

2010-07-26T21:11:00.005-05:00

Sort of. Earlier today Em crawled over to one of the chairs in the kitchen, puller herself up and started walking/pushing the chair across the floor. Well, after Justin got home and right before bedtime we recreated it. You can see her walking but, before the end you can see she is tired because she begins to fuss. And, I apologize for the mess on the couch. I had been doing laundry.

Just was just as excited and amazed as I was when she first did it. Our little girl is getting so big. She continues to amaze us. We can't wait to see what she does next.

Grilled Cheese

2010-07-26T21:07:00.004-05:00

Even though Em only has two teeth she is a big fan of finger foods. Tonight we had grilled cheese for dinner. She loved the little bites and feeding herself. Justin said I cheated him on dinner but, seeing Em feed herself was well worth it and Justin agrees.

9 Months...

2010-07-19T15:59:00.003-05:00

Miss Emeline is 9 months old! Yes, she is 3/4 of the way through her first year. A lot has changed since we brought her home from the hospital.

- The stats: At her 9 month appointment, Emeline weighed 26 lbs 9 oz and was 29 5/8" tall. That keeps her in the 100th percentile in both height and weight.

- We are crawling. She started army crawling around 8 months and is now a crawling machine. She crawls all over the house and love to push the buttons on the electronics in the entertainment center. Justin hates this. We have started disciplining her to stop this bad habit.

- She can also pull herself up and stand. This has made for fun at nap times. At our house the first 30 minutes to 1 hour are spent with her standing, play or fussing. So, our naps have been short and a little irregular. Now, if we try to take a nap at Gram and Grandpa's we go down real easy with no standing up. We have been visiting them a lot lately! I am working on fixing the issue at home.

- Em has personality!!! She loves waving, clapping and making silly sounds with her mouth. She is still a big fan of peek-a-boo.

- She has two teeth (on the bottom) and loves using them to eat. She pretty much eats everything we put in front of her. Her favorites are sweet potatoes, applesauce and of all things pickles. She loves pickles. We just recently started eating meat and she seems to be doing pretty good with it.

Hey Baby!

2010-07-19T15:53:00.003-05:00

Somewhere, there is a picture that my mom took of me very similar to the ones below. Right now I am unable to locate the picture. I took these the other day before a bath. I love when Em looks at her reflection in the mirror. She has so much excitement in her eyes when she see the other baby. I love it. Plus, I think the effect with the mirror is really cool.

4th of July

2010-07-19T15:41:00.003-05:00

Every year for the 4th (or this year the 3rd) we watch fireworks from my parent's backyard. We can see the fireworks perfectly. Em didn't like the fireworks so she didn't partake. However, she did have fun that day playing with her pool of balls with Drew.

Right after we blew-up the pool and put Em in there Jake decided he had to join her. I love this picture!!!! Jake has been diagnosed with cancer and I don't know how much longer he will be around. I love though that Em got to meet him. For those that know Jake, this is so him. He has to be in the middle of everything.

Em and her daddy complete with 4th of July tutu.

Drew and Em playing.

Drew!!!!

They both had so much fun playing with balls and balloons. I do think we need to get so more balls. The 100 aren't enough.

Just a swinging...

2010-07-19T15:37:00.003-05:00

Em's friend Whittaker has a swing set. So, while we were over there for the party we took full advantage of the swing set. She loved it. She could have stayed in that swing all day!

Party Time part two

2010-07-19T15:24:00.003-05:00

The following weekend we went to a surprise party for our friend Misha. She turned 30. We had so a good time. There was even a return of the pool full of balls.

Misha's cookie cake.

The birthday girl.

Will (Misha's husband) and Tom delivering the cakes (it was Tom's girlfriend's b-day as well).

Whittaker playing in the balls at her mom's party.

Whittaker tackling her dad. She can really put those 15 lbs to work.

Em giving her daddy a kiss.

Party Time part one

2010-07-19T15:11:00.004-05:00

Back in mid-June, we went to Parker's first birthday party. We all had so much fun. We loved catching up with everyone. Jenn and Patrick's house was decorated so cute in a monkey/jungle theme. There was even a pool of balls to play with. That was Em's favorite and a big hit with all the little ones.

Miss Whittaker

Miss Virginia

Emmers playing in the balls.

The whole gang.

Birthday boy.

Parker wasn't too sure about his cake.

Emmers loved it!

I am behind...

2010-07-19T15:07:00.002-05:00

I know it has been awhile since I last posted. The truth is Justin has been working on the computers and life has been crazy. So, I will be doing posts from about a month ago.

Peek-a-boo

2010-06-12T11:23:00.002-05:00

Yesterday when I was playing with Em in the floor she did the cutest thing. She loves to play peek-a-boo. Usually, we cover her head with her binkie, burp cloth, blanket, etc. Well, I was looking for something to use and she took it upon herself to improvise. She started pulling her dress over her face to play peek-a-boo. Needless to say, Daddy was not to happy I taught our daughter to pull her dress over her head. I told him lets let her get it out of her system now.

Here is some video of the game of peek-a-boo.

Memorial Day Fun

2010-05-31T22:16:00.004-05:00

Keeping with Shelton Family tradition we spent Memorial Day grilling out, swimming and spending time with our family. For this Memorial Day we had a big group over at Gram and Grandpa's house. Here are some pictures of the fun day. By the way, Em got in the pool 3 times! I made sure to keep her covered in sunblock and a sun hat!

Dave and Sharon joined us. Little Drew was not a fan of the cool pool water. We had to warm up the hot tub for him. Casey Dog was such a good lifeguard!

Ashley (my cousin's wife), Madeline (her daughter) and Justin

One crazy game of over sized volleyball. It was fun and crazy. I think everyone played.

Nothing like floating in a pool on a hot day.

Sharon, Drew, Chandler, Emeline and Justin relaxing after a long day of eating and swimming.

We were missing someone on this Memorial Day. My cousin Jeff is currently in the Navy and could not join us. We were so blessed to have his wife Ashley and his children Madeline, Chandler and Paige join us today. You were missed greatly Jeff and we are so proud of you.

Just Keep Swimming

2010-05-31T22:02:00.004-05:00

On May 23rd Emeline went swimming for the first time. Actually, she went in the hot tub for the first time. She thought the pool was too cold. On Friday, we tried the pool again and she loved it. She is our little fish. If you hold her on her tummy she kicks her legs and paddles her arms. She is a natural. She loves her float and splashes everyone. She isn't afraid of the water one bit. We have dunked her a few times and it doesn't even faze her. Here are a few pictures of her first few times swimming.

Swimming with Aunt Renee

Hiding from the sun in the cave.
More fun in the float. Not sure who is pointing their finger. Must have been a good story.
Kicking her legs.
In the hot tub with Daddy. This is a picture from her first time.

Where it all began and a New Beginning

2010-05-31T21:53:00.003-05:00

Last weekend Justin and I headed down to College Station for our friends Eryn and Clint's wedding. That weekend also happened to be our 3rd Wedding Anniversary. We had so much fun going to all our old hang outs, attending their beautiful wedding and just enjoying the grand splendor of College Station. We hit the Chicken (twice), Double Dave's and Wings 'n More (twice). It was a wonderful weekend! We even fit in an Aggie Baseball game and they won!

I titled this post "Where it all began and a New Beginning" because that is what College Station means to Justin and I. That is where we met and where we got engaged. It truly is where it all began. Then that weekend we got to see a new beginning for Eryn and Clint as the start their lives together as husband and wife. We wish them a happy and blessed marriage.

Unfortunately, I forgot a camera so I have no pictures to document this weekend.

Em was not with us on this trip. She got to stay with Gram, Grandpa and Aunt Renee for the weekend. That is right, I dropped her off on Thursday and didn't see her again until Sunday morning. She and I both survived staying apart. I am also happy to report that I only cried once. She had so much fun and was spoiled with lots of kissers, tv time and cuddling in the special chair outside.

One Man's Trash

2010-05-17T18:56:00.004-05:00

Is another man's treasure. This is very true when it comes to baby stuff. Every time we go to visit our friends Brian and Amanda, Amanda goes through her house to find baby items they no longer need. Brian of course just shakes his head. Well, her latest gift to us was a life saver this past weekend. As I mentioned, Em was teething and none of the toys we brought her kept her attention. Well, the new toy from the Davison's was a life saver. Here are some shots of the happy girl. Em says thank you Brian, Amanda, Will and Ella!

Roly Poly....

2010-05-17T18:45:00.003-05:00

Daddy's little fatty, per the song. We don't consider Em a fatty (although we lovingly call her our lil chunk) but, she is our roly poly. She rolled over to her tummy from her back for the first time last week. Ever since she has been a rolling machine. When I went into her room today to get her from her afternoon nap this is what I found. It is a first. I was pretty surprised to see this head popping up from her bed.

Wedding Weekend in Houston

2010-05-17T14:56:00.008-05:00

This past weekend we went down to Houston for Drew and Erin's Wedding. Drew is Justin's little brother. We are so happy for them and wish them lots of love. The weather the day of wedding started looking scary. It rained all morning but, stopped right after the ceremony and the sun came out making the day perfect. Here are some pictures from the day. They are out of order.

Mr. Wood (father of the bride) and Justin

Justin and the happy couple. Erin is in her beautiful reception dress.

Uncle Drew and Em.
Three Generations. Great Grandma, Mimi and Em. This is the first time Great Grandma has held Em. At 90 years old, she has been a little nervous. Afraid that she might drop Em. Notice Em chowing down on the water bottle. She was teething all weekend and extremely fussy.

Em dancing with her daddy.

The happy couple sharing their first dance.

While we were in Houston we went and had dinner with our friends The Davisons. Brian and I have know each other for as long as I can remember. His is my "big brother." Here is a picture that Amanda took of Brian and Em. Too cute. We love spending time with Brian, Amanda, Ella and Will.

Beep, Beep

2010-05-04T09:38:00.004-05:00

When Em was about 4 months old, my dad got her a little driving toy. They would spend hours (literally, hours) playing with that toy at his desk. They even perfected the optimal sitting position for them to play with it. Well, as Em has gotten older and more active with her exersaucer and jumper, my dad has decided it is time for Em to have her first set of wheels.

A pink convertible. This thing has it all. Driving toy, jumper and walker. She loves it. Here are some pictures of her in it for the first time.

Adjusting her mirrors.

Checking her blind spot.
This is fun!
Happy Girl.
Sharp turn!

A few days after this she was playing with her car on the hardwood floor inside. She was moving all over the place. She even ran over Casey dog. He quickly moved up to the chair out of her way. Yes, my parents spoil her.

Oh, and this thing doubles as a high chair. That is right. The hood and steering wheel come off to reveal a flat tray. She loves eating in this. I think this will now be packed every time we go down to Houston to visit.

Oh, and to explain on the color. Everything we have bought Em, with the exception of clothes, has been very non-gender specific. Well, this car comes in pink and white, yellow and black, and black and white. My parents called all over DFW trying to find the other two color options. They were sold out. So, pink and white it is.

Sweet Potatoes...or are they Yams?

2010-04-17T23:25:00.006-05:00

Since we had dabbled in rice cereal a few times before we know Em liked it and her system tolerated it. So, to start off her solid food experience I made her sweet potatoes. Yes, that is right I am trying to make my own baby food or, at least for the most part. Today I went and picked up jars of the stuff that I thought would be hard to make into baby food (green beans, peas, etc).

Here are some pictures of Em's first sweet potato experience.

Not too sure.

Not a fan.

Looking at Gram, "Do I really have to eat this?"

Maybe it isn't that bad.

Ok, it is pretty good.

Big Baby

2010-04-17T23:13:00.003-05:00

I know I have said it several times before but, Em is a big baby. She had her 6 month appointment on Friday. She was so funny flirting with her doctor. And, I am happy to report she only cried for about a second when she got her shots.

So, her stats...she is off the chart. Literally, she no longer fits on the growth curve. She weighs 22 lbs 6 oz and is 27 3/4 inches long. So, in the first 6 months of her life Em has grown 8 inches and gained 13 lbs. For a girl of her age, she is well above the 95th percentile. The doctor said she is the size of a one year old. I am sure she will slow down soon...I hope!

A funny little note. The other day we went to lunch with my parents to one of our favorite hamburger joints...Whole in the Wall. Whole in the Wall is not for the faint at heart. This place is as seedy looking as they come but, one of the best burgers you will ever have. Oh, and the fresh cut french fries...yum. My family has been going there for over 35 years. So the other day was Em's first time. Well, the lady behind the counter gave me a tongue lashing. She wanted to know why I didn't bring Em by when she was little. I looked at her and said she still is little. I said she was only 6 months. The lady looked at me and said, "Oh, what have you been feeding her...my burgers." I couldn't help but laugh because, Em doesn't look like a little baby anymore.

6 Months!!!

2010-04-15T10:30:00.004-05:00

That is right all, Emeline has made it to the 6 month mark. I guess Justin and I actually can parent; she has made it this far alive.

We have her 6 month portraits scheduled for Saturday, so as soon as I get those pictures I will post them! Happy Half Year Birthday Emmers!!!

Scrunchy Face

2010-04-12T10:48:00.004-05:00

The past week Em has been making this new face. She scrunches up her nose and breathes through it. The first time she did it, I did it back and now she does it all the time. Justin can't do it so, this must be something she got from me. I think it is cute but, she is starting to do it to show her displeasure with something. For instance, she is bored, frustrated or tired. Here is a little video.

Spike

2010-04-11T13:58:00.004-05:00

Em's hair is finally coming in! Just in the past week the amount of hair has doubled. Sometimes it is strawberry blond and sometimes a dirty blond. We are also brushing the hair more. Her hair grows from back to front. Well, the other day I brushed it from front to back and this is the result.

I did not use any product to create this look. In fact, the do stayed put until her next bath. Punk rockers across the world eat your heart out.

Catching Up

2010-04-11T13:39:00.006-05:00

The Dillard family has been very busy. First, with Justin's b-day (I forgot to take pictures!!!!), then a trip to Houston, then Easter and hosting a Shower for Erin (our soon-to-be sister-in-law). So, here is a quick catch up post.

Em is doing good. Still our big, happy girl. She has a few new tricks that I need to get video of. We are going to start solid foods this weekend. I don't who is more excited Em or Gram. I am also excited to go back to the doctor to find out just how "big" our big girl is.

For Easter this year we went to Good Friday Service and then Justin and I helped out in the nursery on Easter Sunday. Below are the pics of Em's church outfits that weekend.

Good Friday

Easter Sunday. Thank you to Rob and Felicia for my pretty dress.

Sharon and Drew came to the shower we had for Erin. Em and Drew visited for sometime. Oh, young love (Justin hates when I say that). I do know that these two will be good friends.

5 Months

2010-03-19T22:36:00.004-05:00

Ok, I know that I am 4 days late in posting but, we have been busy preparing for Justin's 30th birthday. On the 15th Em turned 5 months old. Our "little", big girl.

On St. Patty's Day, we got dressed in our green and went out into the front yard to take a few pictures. Look at our big girl sitting up all by herself (with the help of the boppy).

Kissers from Rosie. Rosie is in love with Em. Daisy still doesn't want much to do with Em.

She is mouthing everything she can get her hands on.

Pushing up.

Silly smile.

The Best Sound in the World

2010-03-07T21:12:00.004-06:00

Our little Em has started laughing. We love it. There is nothing better than a baby's laugh. It is whole-hearted and so special. Em amazes me everyday with her growing personality. She loves to sing, spit (I know very ladylike; I promise it is cuter than it sounds), flap her arms with or without toys in her hands, squeal and smile. She loves to catch your eyes and then release this big, gummy smile. I know I am partial but, she is such a sweetheart.

Enjoy our little clip of Em laughing.

Parent Child Dedication

2010-02-22T11:01:00.004-06:00

This past weekend we participated in Parent Child Dedication at church. Em's Mimi and Pops came up from Houston and several of our Dallas Family and Friends joined us as well. We would like to thank all those who joined us for this very special time for our family!

The happy family.

Emmers and Daddy.

I would also like to say how proud I am of Em. She usually goes down for a nap around 6. The Saturday night service starts at 6. She didn't fuss but, was one tired little girl. Thank you Em for being such a trooper!

4 Months

2010-02-22T10:30:00.004-06:00

Our sweet little Emeline is 4 months old. She amazes us everyday with how big she is (both size and strength). She is such a happy little girl. Constantly smiling, laughing and talking. I know I am biased but, I think she is such a cute little girl.

We had a very good 4 month check-up. Em had a big growth spurt between 2 months and 4 months. She weighed 18 lbs 11 oz and was 26 1/2 inches long. Keeping consistent she is in the 95th percentile for kids her age. She has almost doubled from her birth weight and has grown almost 7 inches from birth.

The doctor said she looked great and that we were doing a good job with her. Who knew, I can be a good mom! Em is still on a 4 hour schedule. She takes 2 long naps a day, about 2 1/2 hours each and then takes a shorter nap in the evening around 1 1/2 hours. I think Em might be dropping this nap soon. Although, mommy is ready for her to drop it. That is when I get dinner ready.

His only bit of advice was that we needed to start shopping for a big girl car seat. He said by 6 months she would out grow her carrier. I think I might cry the day that happens.

The doctor was also amazed with how strong she was. He couldn't believe that she was already sitting up with some help. She is such a big girl. And, my big girl almost didn't cry during her shots. She took the first one like a champ. No tears, no cry. Then she got her second shot and lost it. Just cried for a few seconds but, still no tears. Mommy and Daddy were so proud!

Here are some pictures of Em showing off her sitting skills.

About to lose it.

And, she is down for the count.

Such a happy girl.

Spitting, Em's way of talking.

Snow Part 2

2010-02-11T17:11:00.003-06:00

Em was very surprised and happy to see her daddy was home early due to the snow. So, we took full advantage of it and went outside to play in the snow. I bring playing in the snow part 2.

Daisy playing in the snow and Rosie hunting.

Crazy Daisy.

Em loves her daddy.

We had been outside for about 10 minutes and we noticed that Em was licking the snow off of Justin's jacket. I ran inside to grab the video camera and found this. I love this little girl.

First Time in the Snow

2010-02-11T15:32:00.003-06:00

Today was not the first day that it has snowed since Em was born but, today was the first time I took her out in it. I am not sure she knew what to think. We were over at my parent's house, so my dad took some pictures. I loved being out in it today. It reminded me of all the time we spent in Colorado skiing when I was little.

Daisy playing.
Shot of the backyard covered in white.

Em checking out the white stuff falling around her.

I was letting the snow fall on her face.

What is that in your hand mom?

Posting the picture of Daisy made me think of one of my fondest snow memories. When my parents lived on their 3 acres I loved when it snowed! A blanket of white surrounding us. Our dogs would run through it cutting paths and eating the snow when they needed a drink. It would be so cold out and they would run son hard they were panting and steam would rise off of them. They would even make snow balls. Yes, my dogs would make snow balls. The snow would cling to their fur and freeze into snow balls on their legs. So much fun!!!

Em is a Changing

2010-02-08T20:28:00.003-06:00

We are one week away from Em turning 4 months old. I am absolutely amazed at how much she has changed in the past 4 months. She has become such a happy/social girl. She loves to smile, giggle and spit (it is much cuter than it sounds).

She truly is becoming a big girl. She loves to stand. Her favorite toy is her exersaucer at Gram and Grandpa's house. She will play in it for an hour. Grandpa gets in the floor with her and shows her what to push to make noise. She gets that saucer just a rockin. Every picture I take in it is always blurred. Guess I need to get a picture of her with the good camera instead of my iphone.

She now wants to be a part of the "party" whenever she is awake. So, she loves sitting in her high chair where she can see everything.

Em schedule has seen some adjustment as well. We are still on a 4 hour schedule but, we are down to just four bottles a day. She takes 8 oz at each feeding. Beginning last night we dropped the dream feed. Hopefully, this will last. We are on a later schedule than most but, we do so that Justin gets to spend the most time possible with her when he gets home from work. I am not complaining either. She goes to bed at 9:30 and sleeps to 8 the next morning. She still takes 3 naps although, I think she wants to drop one. She only takes 2 good naps a day and the 3rd is usually full of her going in and out of sleep. We also have taken a big step with no longer swaddling her at naps. She has done very well with it. I found that if I give her the binkie (her lovie), she holds onto it tightly and hugs it. I think it so cute! Her is a quick shot of her sleeping.

We still swaddle her at night. I am not sure if she is ready to go for a long sleep unswaddled. Maybe we will try it one weekend. That way if she has a rough night, Justin is there to help me the next day. Oh, and if you were wondering we use the Miracle Blanket. I highly recommend it. She can work her way out every now and then but, for the most part she stays tightly wrapped up.

Play Group

2010-02-02T15:55:00.005-06:00

Em and I have so much fun together during the week. We go to Strollerfit, run errands, play and on Tuesdays we go to playgroup. This week, Sharon and Drew joined us. I think all the kiddos have fun. We were talking today how much they have all changed in the past month of playgroups. The kiddos are starting to notice each other and interacting with each other. I never thought these playgroups would be so much fun.

Em and Drew.

The whole group (Piper, Samuel, Drew and Em).

Em and Samuel

See what I mean about the interaction. Em is 3 1/2 months old and Samuel is 6 1/2 months. They were flirting with each other.

3 Months!!!

2010-01-11T15:25:00.002-06:00

It is very hard for me to believe that my sweet little Emeline is 3 months today. At times, I feel like we only brought her home yesterday! She is such a sweet little girl with the sweetest smile.

A lot is going on with this little girl. She is on a 4 hour schedule and takes 3 long naps a day. She has been sleeping through the night from 8pm to 8 am for about two weeks now. Mommy loves it!!! I also love that when I walk into her room first thing in the morning or after a nap Emeline has the biggest smile!

Em has also become very independent. She just loves to lay in the floor and look around. She also loves her Jenny Jump. We will hang it from a door way and she spins herself and looks around. She loves to examine her surroundings.

I cannot believe that a quarter of Em's first year has already gone by. We can't wait to watch her continue to grow and develop her personality.

Hello To My Houston Family!!!

2010-01-04T17:56:00.003-06:00

Today I took some video of Emeline playing in her activity jumper. She was too cute. We started talking about her family down in Houston. So here is the video, it is about 2 minutes. I couldn't come up with a more appropriate ending.

Yes, I know that Em is only 2 months old and I have her in her jumper but, look at her she does pretty good. I do have to put some blankets in there with her for added support. She looks like she enjoys it. And yes, I know I need to work on my camera skills.

So many blessings....

2010-01-04T10:38:00.005-06:00

This past year, Justin and I were blessed with the birth of our first child. What an amazing gift from God. We continue to fall more in love with her each day. We were not the only ones blessed. No, several of our friends were blessed as well.

Thank you Lord for the gift of each of the following babies....

Emeline Dillard
Jackson Green
Whittaker Waters
Piper Taylor
Parker Brann
Claire Davison
Virginia Houston
Sarah Maerschel
Mason Gross
William Taylor
Drew Alderton (Christmas Eve Baby)
And any others that I missed

and Lord, we pray for those on the way....

Baby Coward
Baby Schlieder
Baby Garcia
Rylan Mitchell
and any others that I might not know about yet!

To close out the post here is a picture of Emeline, Allison Green, Jackson Green and me. I think Jackson was about 5 weeks in this picture and Em was 2 months. Yes, I know that she is a big girl.

December in a Nutshell

2010-01-04T10:20:00.006-06:00

The Dillard family was very busy over Christmas. We started on Christmas Eve at my Aunt and Uncle's house then Christmas morning at my parents, followed by a short drive to Houston for Christmas dinner with Drew and Erin. Then, we kept the celebration going on the 26th with the Payne family and topped it off with one final get together on the 28th with Justin's sister and her kiddos. We were so busy that we didn't take to many pictures. So, here are a few.

Just about everyone at Aunt Vicki and Uncle Mike's.

Chandler showing Em and my dad his new toy. If you look closely you can see Em's green legs.

I think this one is from the church Christmas Party.

Showing off what Santa brought Em.

And, she is done!

To keep with the theme...here is one last picture of Em snoozing with Gram.

December 2009 Update

2009-12-18T14:19:00.003-06:00

Yes, I know that I am getting really bad about posting. I will make it part of my New Year's resolutions. I will explain why this is possible below.

Emeline is doing very well. Growing big girl. She turned 9 weeks old yesterday. At her two month appointment she was 12 lbs 7 oz and 23 3/8 inches long. That puts her in the 85% percentile in both height and weight. I told you she was a big girl. She is now in size 2 diapers and has moved into 3-6 months clothes. She amazes me how she keeps growing and so fast.

Her growth is probably attributed to how much she eats. She is now eating 6 oz every 4 hours, so 30 oz a day. Sometimes, I let her go longer if we have somewhere to go or she is just so sound asleep. She wakes up eats and plays and is ready for her next nap 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours later. She gets pretty feisty if she doesn't get her sleep. Oh, and I am happy to report for the past week and a half Em has been sleeping through the night. Not just the 6 hours that they talk about in the books but, 8 to 9 hours. We do a dream feed around 11/11:30 and she then sleeps until 7 or 8. This makes me very happy! I forgot how much I like my sleep. As I mentioned above, Em has settled into a 4 hour schedule and takes anywhere from 2 to 2 1/2 hour naps. This is much nicer than the 45 minute naps she was taking. This made it impossible to get anything done. Not to mention she wouldn't nap in her crib, she had to be held. Now, we nap in our crib. Mommy is so happy. Granted this has only been going on for a week, I plan on keeping this up.

Miss Em has already started showing us her personality. From day one she had these stern looks and would put her hand to her face and ponder in deep thought. Now, she has expanded her expressions with smiles. Just this week I get lots of smiles and she has started cooing at me. I love it!!! I can't to see what expression she makes next.

Not only am I tardy in posting here, I have yet to get out the birth announcements or Christmas Cards. The birth announcements will be going out in the next few weeks but, we are not going to send out Christmas Cards this year. So, to make up for it I hope everyone enjoys this picture of Em with Santa. She was such a good girl. No smile but, still a cute little girl.

Oh, and an update on Rosie and Daisy. They are doing good. They have quickly adjusted to having Emeline around. During the day they help me put her down for her naps and each take turns checking on her from her door while she sleeps. I think it is just too cute!!! They love being Em's big sister.

Crazy Mom

2009-11-20T20:26:00.002-06:00

Today I had my first crazy mom moment. For about a week and a half Em has been spitting up after eating. Yes, I know that every baby spits up but, this was a large amount. And she would be fussy while she was being burped. So, I made an appointment to see the doctor. The doctor told me this was not a crazy mom appointment and that I was behind schedule for my crazy mom appointment. He made me feel so much better.

Good news is she is not losing weight. In fact she is gaining weight. She weighed 11 lbs 4 oz. So since her 2 week appointment she has gained approximately 1.4 oz per day. The average baby gains about 1 oz per day.

The doctor said she looked really good and thinks that we might be experiencing some colic. He said we should expect to see this go away by the time she is 2 months; both the fussiness and the spitting up. In the meantime he prescribed baby Zantec. Hopefully, this will help.

She is also a very strong girl. She loves to stand up in our laps and look around. She is very active with her eyes and loves to look around. The doctor also said that with as active and inquisitive as she is we should see her smile at us any day now. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Emeline's first month

2009-11-16T21:05:00.004-06:00

Emeline was a month old on Sunday, November 15th. Below are a few pictures of her first month.

A very pretty smile.

Taking a nap while visiting Gram at work.

Napping with Grandpa.

Halloween Outfit #1.

Halloween Outfit #3. Her 2nd outfit was a pumpkin costume. My dad has the good pictures of this outfit.

Such a cutie!

First month stats:

At her 2 week check-up she was 9 lbs 6 oz and 21 inches. She is currently on a 3 hour schedule during the day. I still have to wake her up from her naps to feed on the 3 hour schedule. She is having difficultly going down for naps. She wants to be held. This has a lot to do with the fact that Justin likes to hold her and nap with her on the weekends. So, we are learning to go down for a nap still awake and self soothing, via the Ferber method.

At night once she is asleep she usually sleeps 4 hours wakes to feed and then sleeps another 4 hours. So, I get a good 6 hours of sleep at night and usually get an hour nap in during the day.

She is very strong and already stands-up in my lap and has pretty good head control although gets tired and will flop about if I am not careful. We try and take daily walks and loves her baths!

A few more pictures.

She was napping like this one day!

Her favorite; bath time!!!

In the Hospital

2009-11-16T20:56:00.002-06:00

While we were in the hospital we received lots of visitors. Justin and I forgot to get pictures of everyone. So, here are a couple.

Sean and Sharon. Sharon is actually pregnant with a little friend for Em; due in January.

Uncle Drew and soon-to-be Aunt Erin.

Emeline's going home outfit. Would you expect anything but an A&M outfit?

Emeline ready to go home.

Justin ready to go home. This was Sunday morning. Remember we went into the hospital on Wednesday night. Justin was ready for a real bed.

Like I said above, we received lots of visitors, prayers and well wishes through Emeline's birth and stay at the hospital. We would like to thank everyone. We are so blessed to have friends and family that love us so much. Emeline is a very lucky girl.

Em's Big Arrival

2009-11-16T20:29:00.004-06:00

I know that I am a little late with this post but, hey being a mom takes a lot of my time.

Em's big arrival began on October 14th. We went into the hospital the evening of the 14th at 8pm for "prep work." Below is a picture of us before we went to the hospital.

We arrived at the hospital at 8pm and they began my medicine to get me ready for the induction at 9pm. At 10pm contractions began and then at 12:45 the next morning my water broke. That was a bit of a surprise to me. We then got a couple of hours of rest. The induction was started at 6:30 the morning of the 15th. My labor progressed and then stalled. At 4:30 the doctor said it was time for a c-section. Emeline was born at 5:29 pm on October 15th. Below are a few of the pictures.

Now there was three.

Gram, Aunt Renee, Daddy, Emeline (15 minutes old) and Grandpa

Daddy, Emeline and Pops. Pops came up from Houston for Em's birth.

So, after nine months we have our little girl! Justin and I are so excited and know that we are so blessed. We look forward to enjoying and loving the little miracle that God has given us.

Extremely Behind

2009-11-09T20:30:00.002-06:00

Well, I am extremely behind in posting.

Justin and I are so happy to announce the arrival of Emeline Kay Dillard. She made her debut into the world on October 15th at 5:29pm. She is a big girl, she weighed 9 lbs 7 oz and was 19.75 inches.

As you may notice that I am posting almost a month after she was born. I promise to post pictures this week and provide an update on her. All in all, she is a beautiful baby and Justin and I feel very blessed. Justin is completely in love with her. She already is a daddy's girl.

I promise pictures are on the way.

October 15th Deadline

2009-09-24T09:43:00.003-05:00

I had one of many doctor's appointments yesterday. The doctor and I went over the results of my sonogram from Friday. All in all, we still have a big baby on the way and she will probably have to induce. The doctor said we have two issues 1) making sure the Em is developed enough and 2) making sure she doesn't get too big. I love my doctor! She is great about talking with me about the issues. I was so worried about Em not being fully developed if I was induced too early. My doctor explained to me that by 39 weeks, she was 99% sure that Em would be developed enough to join us. So, to avoid having a 10lb baby we are going to induce on 15th. Provided Em doesn't make an appearance before then.

Justin and I are so excited! So, provided she doesn't come early on her own, we will be parents three weeks from today. I can't believe it! This last couple of months has just flow by.

Oh, and a little side note. October 15th has special meaning for Justin and I. Ten years ago on October 15th Justin and I started our relationship. We had been a few "dates" before then but, that was the day he said that I was his girlfriend and that we were exclusive. I know so high school but, hey we were 18 and 19 at the time. I just think it is so special that our first child could be born on the 10 year anniversary of our relationship.

We can't wait to meet our little blessing from the Lord!

How is big is my baby?!?!?!

2009-09-18T12:22:00.003-05:00

Today I went to my last 2 week appointment. Everything looks good, minus some swelling. Then, we had a sonogram. The doctor wanted to get an idea of how big Miss Em is. Well, she is big. She is measuring at 7 lbs 2 oz; at 35 weeks!!! That puts her in the 94th percentile; meaning out of every 100 babies she would be the 6th biggest. Justin is so proud! The sonogram measurements are not always correct. They told us it could be +/- 1 lb. I am just scared that it might be off and she is really 8 lbs 2 oz!!!

It was so nice to see Em again on that black and white screen! We hadn't seen her since the 17 week sonogram. She looked so cute! All chubby, button nose and sucking her thumb. We can't wait to meet her! I would post the sonogram pictures but, they never look as good printed out is they do on the screen at the doctor's office.

The doctor said when I come in next week she wants to visit about inducing me. I think she is worried about Em getting too big. So, right now it looks like Em will be here around the 12th of October! We are both so excited!!! I guess I need to get in gear and get the hospital bags ready.

Houston Shower

2009-08-12T09:01:00.011-05:00

As promised, I am finally posting the pictures from the Houston Shower. Justin, Em and I are truly blessed to have such amazing and loving family and friends. We got lots of goodies at the shower. I would also like to say a special thanks to Erin, Mrs. Wood and Mom (Debbie/Mimi) for hosting the shower!Enjoy!

Mom-to-be and Grandmas-to-be. Gram (my mom), me and Mimi (Justin's mom).
Ella, my little helper! She even brought a special gift for Em. A beautiful picture for the little baby. I plan on framing it and hanging it in Em's room.

Both Gram and Mimi like to call her Miss Em.

You knew that we would have to have some sort of Aggie gear! Thanks Mimi, this will be perfect for tailgating in October/November! In the background you see my Aunt Jo (a very close family friend) and Amanda (Jo's daughter-in-law and a SUPER MOM/Ella's mom).

Monkey Towel!

Justin's Grandma gave us this bib. Justin has wanted this bib since we first found out we had a little one on the way.

My little helper Ella! Look at her go, such a sweetie! I will admit that I had trouble keeping up with her.

Justin's Aunt Eileen made these really neat cross-stitch bibs. They have lots of little animals on them! I love homemade/handmade stuff (not sure what the correct term is here).

Basket of goodies!!!

Diaper and washcloth cake with hidden surprises! Erin you are too much!

Little outfits!

Ok, funny story about this outfit. My mom, I mean Gram, got this for Em. A little red dress with zebra leggings and black mary jane shoes. Too cute. My Aunt Jo, makes the joke "Oh, what a cute little Red Raider outfit." Well, I told Justin that and his response was, "Burn that outfit." Ugh! As you know, Justin and I bleed Aggie Maroon. My Aunt Jo and my dad (Pawpaw) both went to Texas Tech...so Big 12 conversations are always fun with them. And, wouldn't you know it Em's due date is the weekend of the A&M/Texas Tech football game. I told Justin that I will not dress Em in that outfit when the Aggies play Tech but, I am not burning it.

12 Weeks...

2009-07-30T09:30:00.003-05:00

As of today, we have 12 weeks until my due date. That is right, I am officially in my third trimester. Justin and I are so excited to meet our little Em. We are truly grateful for the blessing God has given us!

Heading into the third trimester I am doing really well. Except for a few minor pains here or there, I can't complain. Em is an extremely strong little girl. Even the doctor is amazed how strong she is for her "age". She is very active during the day and sleeps during the night. Every night when Justin gets home she lets out some big kicks/movements at the sound of his voice. Justin is already in love with this little girl and she hasn't even shown her face yet. He even talks to my belly; too cute!

We are slowly getting everything put together. We had our first shower this past weekend in Houston (separate post to come this weekend). We got so many cute things! I have already started washing clothes and putting them up. Knowing me if I don't get organized before Em comes I never will be. I also still need to hang things on the walls. My goal is to get this completed over the next two weekends.

So, we have 12 weeks left. I still have a lot to do but, I want these 12 weeks to fly by. I am ready to meet Emeline Kay Dillard! The next 12 weeks will definitely be a test of my patience.

We have a crib!

2009-07-08T08:54:00.008-05:00

On Sunday Justin and my dad put together the nursery furniture; all they really had to assemble was the crib. Regardless, I am so happy they did and the furniture looks great in the room! I love it! Check out the pictures below.

Dresser/changing table. In time the stuffed animal doggies will be gone and that is where Justin will do all the dirty work! Just kidding. Crib! I still need to hang the letters. I found out last night that I don't have the right hangers. Notice to the right of the crib the baby car seat. Daisy had a run in with this new fixture below.
Another view of the room. In this picture Daisy just noticed the baby car seat and flipped! Started barking like crazy. She better get used to that thing. I don't know what she is going to do when the stroller makes it into the house. Last night I tried to get that stuff unpacked but, the stroller requires some assembly so I left that for Justin. Isn't that the daddy's job. I don't think he has realized yet that he will be assembling things (toys, bikes, etc.) for the next 18 years!
View of the room from the door way.

Oh, and we have new carpet. Much better than the old gray carpet. We owe a special thanks to our buddy Duke for saving us from the gray madness! I highly recommend him! Oh, and before I get lots of accolades on the paint job; we didn't do it. The people that owned the house before us did. Very impressive!

On Sunday, after we got the furniture arranged my mom started stressing over getting the bedding done. I told her not to worry. We still have 3 1/2 months before Em's big arrival. Wow, doesn't seem like a whole lot of time left when I write it out.

First Addition to the Nursery and a Little Doggie Time

2009-07-01T09:01:00.006-05:00

As I mentioned in a previous post I was going to make the letters for Em's wall. Well, I am done. Here they are.

I think they turned out pretty good. Justin seemed to like them. Oh, and this is not the crib bedding. This is the bedding I have on the bed in that room now. It will be gone soon. We are getting new carpet this weekend and then setting up the nursery. We have all the furniture (crib and dress/changing table). So, Saturday morning we will start setting up the nursery. I am so excited. I can finally start organizing that room! I guess this is the nesting need that I have read about in all my baby books.

For those of you that really know us and our dogs; we have special dogs. Especially, Daisy. Her nickname is CRAZY DAISY! She just has this play growl/bark that just makes me laugh. One minute she is running around acting all crazy and the next minute she can be the sweetest dog in the world. Here is Daisy with her "what's up" pose; that is what Justin calls it.
To be fair, I also posted a picture of Rosie. Sporting her new do thanks to Aunt Renee. I try to always keep them shaved during the summer so they don't die in the heat. Being pregnant, I have not been doing this as diligently as I should. So, Renee thanks for the help!

Last Big Trip...

2009-06-22T09:13:00.005-05:00

Justin leaves on his last big trip this morning. He is heading out to Hawaii for what will hopefully be his last work trip for awhile. You see, last week Justin accepted a promotion opportunity within his company. He will be moving programs and doing a completely different job. He is so excited. He really believes that this new position will be the challenge that he has been looking for; Praise the Lord! I am so proud of him!!! Only downside is that he will be very busy and may have to work extra hours. I told him I was completely ok with the extra hours as long as he comes home every night. I hate his week long trips.

Justin officially starts his new position mid-July. Should be interesting since he has been with the same group for the past 6 years. I know that Justin will do so well at his new position. He is such an amazingly talented and smart man. I am so blessed to have him as my husband! And soon, Em will be so blessed to have him as her daddy.

Speaking of Daddy, Justin got his first Father's Day gift this past Sunday. I know that technically he isn't a dad just yet but, I couldn't resist. He got an A&M diaper bag and a little outfit for Em. The outfit is a yellow onesie that says "Who needs a Superhero when I have my daddy" and a pair of blue jeans. Justin loved the onesie; he gave his bashful, one sided smile when he opened his gift. That is when I know that he really likes something. If he gives a full smile he trying to oversell it but, when I get the bashful, one sided smile I know that he truly loves it.

A Happy Belated Father's Day out there to all the dads and dads-to-be!

Getting Ready for Miss Em

2009-06-17T09:01:00.006-05:00

Justin and I have started getting ready for the arrival of Miss Em; our little monkey. We have ordered the nursery furniture (should be in the first part of July). I can't wait to get the crib put together! Once I have the crib and dresser/changing table in the room I can start decorating! I have bought a few things to hang on the walls but, don't know where to put them until I know exactly where the furniture will be.

Yesterday, I went and bought the fabric for Em's bedding. Mom and I are going to make a very simple quilt pattern. The two main fabrics have the same colors (every color under the rainbow - pink, brown, green, blue, orange, yellow) but, one is striped and the other is polka dots. I also bought a baby pink fleece that so incredibly soft! I was afraid Justin wouldn't like the fabric but, surprisingly he seemed to like it. He usually isn't into stuff that is too girly. I can't wait to see the finished product! I still need to find a good brown fabric to throw into the mix. I didn't find anything that I liked yesterday.

For those of you that really know me, you know that I cannot sew. I mean, I can make a pillow but, tackling a whole bedding set is way over my head. Thank goodness for moms or excuse me Grams! But, I still want to contribute to Em's room. So, I bought wooden letters E and M. I plan on decorating them myself. I am actually pretty good at painting. So, my contribution to Em's room will be two brown letters with pink, green and blue paisleys on them. Oh, and I am not being lazy and cheating by only doing Em instead of Emeline. Justin said he didn't want the full name on the wall. Especially since we call the little girl Em now.

We still have a lot to do but, I know we will get it all done. I am really looking forward to doing it all! Plus, I am so excited. Our travel system is in and we get to pick it up this weekend! Our first big baby purchase is in and will soon be in our house. Now, I will just have to keep from installing the car bases in the vehicles with 18 weeks left until her arrival. Yes, I am that excited.

Oh, and for those wanting an update on Em. She is doing very well. I have my second to last one month appointment today. Starting in August I will have appointments every 2 weeks. Em is a very active baby. She kicks and moves all day and for the most part sleeps at night. Justin finally got to feel her kick about 2 weeks ago. He thinks it is cool/weird/creepy. No doubt about it though, she is one strong baby! We are looking forward to all the playtime once she gets here!

Half Way There...

2009-06-04T17:01:00.002-05:00

Today marks the half way point of my pregnancy. Today, I am 20 weeks and we have 140 days to go. The time is going by very fast. I have been very lucky and not been sick other than a few little issues.

So, in 140 days or there abouts we will welcome our little girl into our family. Getting ready for a baby is a lot of work. I think we are in good shape right now. We have ordered the nursery furniture and started our registries. My big to do is go fabric shopping so I can start the bedding. My mom and I are making this and with our crazy schedules the sooner we get this started the better.

Oh, and I just realized that my due date is two days before the Aggie/Texas Tech football game. This could be interesting. All the family together watching the game. My dad went to Tech. Both he and my little sister like to be crazy Red Raiders just to get under my skin. Could make for an interesting entry into our family for little Miss Em. Daddy and Grandpa arguing over a football game. Truth be told she better get used to it. Her life will revolve around sports for sometime.

Two Years Ago Today...

2009-05-19T09:26:00.004-05:00

Two years ago today Justin and I stood up in front of God, family and friends and committed ourselves to each other. Two years ago today we became husband and wife. Here is a picture from that glorious day.

A lot has happened in the past two years for Justin and I.

Right after we got back from our Honeymoon we added to our family with Daisy.
I left WaMu shortly after the wedding and began working for TRA.
Justin and I bought our first house last September ('08). And we still love it!
Justin and I found our love of Aggie tailgating. Although, we will have to miss it this year.
Took a trip to Canada, Mexico and Hawaii.
We found out that we are going to be parents. What an amazing blessing.
Found out that our family is growing again with the addition of a sister-in-law. Justin's little brother (top row, fourth from the left) proposed to his long-time girlfriend Erin (girl in the light blue dress).
The family is still growing. My sister is engaged. I don't have a picture of Brandon. Renee is the third girl in from the left.

The past two years have gone by fast but, at the same time it is just a fraction of the time Justin and I have spent together. In October (the day before my due date), Justin and I will have been together 10 years. Yes, a decade! I must thank the Lord from bringing such a sweet, loving man into my life.

It's A....

2009-05-15T15:26:00.005-05:00

GIRL!!! We had our 18 week sonogram on Friday. The little baby is so cute!!! I think Justin could stand there all day and watch the heart beat on the monitor. She was a shy little girl. She was in an odd position at first to where we couldn't tell. Then, after some prodding she moved to where we could get a good view of her and she decided to put her hand in they way. A modest little girl already! I teased Justin that we knew she was a Dillard; stubborn. After a little bit longer we finally got a good look and there she was. What a blessing. What an amazing blessing the Lord has given Justin and I.

We have decided on a name. Emeline Kay Dillard. We will call her Em. Emeline was the middle name of my mother's mom and Kay is the middle name of Justin's mom. Both Justin and I have family names and it was very important to me to carry on the tradition. Call me old fashioned or an Aggie but, I believe in Traditions.

Our next big step will be getting the nursery put together and registering. We have decided to do the nursery in primary colors (lots of reds, blues and yellows) and just about every color in between. The theme of the nursery will be animals (monkeys, dogs, frogs, etc). Although she is a girl, I don't know how much pink she will have in her room. I have never been a big fan of pink. But, I understand that as a girl she will need some pink in her life. We shall see. Only rule Justin has put on me is no glitter. He hates glitter so no glitter or sparkles in the decorations or clothing. If we don't change his mind this poor little girl might have a very dull life. I am sure the Grandmas will break the rules for the sake of this kiddo.

I really am still in complete amazement at this little person. We both can't wait to meet her. As I am typing this she is kicking up a storm. Already opinionated.

Never before...

2009-05-12T10:57:00.005-05:00

Have I been more embarrassed to be a Mavs fan. Regardless of how many cheap shots (happens in every game and by every team) Denver took on the Mavs they beat us in the first three games. There is no need to resort to name calling, throwing beer on some one's mom or any of the other petty actions that took place at the AAC last night. So far every playoff game has been over the top. I will continue to cheer for the Mavs through the remainder of their playoff run but, in the meantime....GO ROCKETS!!!

This is for all the Dillard men in my life. Especially for Drew.

In Trouble...

2009-05-07T12:46:00.014-05:00

Apparently, people actually read our blog and I am in trouble for not diligently updating. I sincerely apologize. We just haven't had too many noteworthy events occurring in our lives lately. I know that will all change come October. So, I promise that after Baby Dill has arrived I will update the blog on a regular basis.

In the meantime, please let pictures from our trip to Hawaii fill the non-baby gap.

Yes, this is how they live in Hawaii. Right on top of each other.

Justin's patriotic shot of the US Flag from inside the Arizona Monument at Pearl Harbor.

Me waiting to go to the Arizona Monument.

Pearl Harbor

View from the Honolulu hotel.
Justin being a dare devil on a cliff. Someone remind him is going to be daddy soon.

Look at how clear the water is!!!!

Cool little cove that we found. We wanted to go down and check it but, decided it was not a good idea for me to rock climb 4 months pregnant.

Our only picture together and it is blurry. Still learning to use our new camera.

The Famous Northshore.

A New Addition...

2009-04-17T13:14:00.007-05:00

As many of you already know, Justin and I are very excited about the new addition that will be joining our family in October. That is right, we are having a baby!!! We are both very excited and praise the Lord for our little blessing. We had a first sonogram a couple of weeks ago. The picture of the little one is below. This is at 12 weeks. Our official due date is October 16th. I will try to be better about posting updates on here regularly. Here is our little one!!!

We have our next sonogram in a month. We should be able to find out if we are having a boy or a girl. Stay tuned!!!

2009-01-27T18:47:00.003-06:00

Last Saturday we had some friends over to watch the Texas A&M/Texas Basketball game. As many of you may know, the Aggies didn't look that good and lost. Thank goodness that Enrique and Marybeth came over and brought some entertainment; little Elizabeth. Elizabeth is 9 months old and is too cute. See the pictures below. Oh, and she does the cutest little thing. If she hears someone cough she fake coughs with them. The cough is a soft and little as she is. I fell in love.

Elizabeth and her daddy.

Mmmm. Sweat Potatoes.
Mmmm. Fingers.

Fun with the Aldertons and McNallys

2009-01-27T18:32:00.004-06:00

A few weeks ago we went to Dave and Sharon's house to say good bye and good luck to Sean. He was going back to school for his last trimester at William Carey. We had such a good time catching up with the Aldertons and McNallys.

Here are the McNally kids. From the left Taylor, Sean, Daniel and Sharon.
Here is a picture of Proximo. He belongs to Dave and Sharon's neighbor Dean. I think he looks like an ewok (you know the teddy bear creatures from Star Wars).

See, he looks like an ewok!!!

And, no night at the Aldertons' would be complete without a little Rock Band.

We Have Music

2009-01-22T16:58:00.005-06:00

In an effort to continue to improve our blog we have added music. Justin has been after me to do this and today I finally did it. I have absolutely fallen in love with last.fm. A special thanks goes out to Justin McCord for telling me about this amazing website. So, when you stop by our blog you will be greeted with music. Let me say up front that this is "my station" and it will play music from artists that I have added to my library. So, there is no telling who/what you will hear. Also, to help Justin save face not all artist that will play are picks of his. So, if it is extremely girly it one of my artists. Oh, and if you don't like the song scroll down to the player and push next. My feelings will not get hurt.

I hope you enjoy the music. Oh, and check out http://www.last.fm/. I think you will like it. And for those out there dying to tell; I already know that it is similar to Pandora. I just found out about this site first.

Gig'em Ags!!!

2009-01-20T12:08:00.003-06:00

Let me say that I am so excited. The Fighting Texas Aggie Baseball Team is ranked #1 in the preseason polls. Whoop!!! Here is the link to the article. http://www.aggieathletics.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/012009aaa.html

We can't wait to go see some of the games in good old College Station. Oh yeah, and visit our friends that still live there.

Extreme Makeover: Dillard Home Edition

2009-01-19T08:29:00.003-06:00

Sorry, Ty is not coming to our house. We have however, decided to repaint our bedroom. Or, should I say that I have decided to repaint our bedroom. Justin is just along for the ride. This is about as extreme as I get without hiring a contractor. I have been talking about doing this for sometime. When we first moved into our house I loved the light green walls, so light and airy. However, most of our decor is not green. We have a lot of neutral colors; browns, maroons, golds, etc. So, yesterday I made Justin take me to Lowe's to use some of those gift cards from Christmas. Again, thank you everyone for those gift cards! So, we bought two gallons of paint in Dark Toast (I promise the color is prettier than it sounds), rollers, brushes, drop clothes and tape. So, each night this week I am going to try and tape off a little bit of the room so we can do all the painting on Saturday. Yeah, I am so excited. Justin on the other hand keeps telling me; "It's whatever you want to do."

So, hopefully either Saturday or Sunday I will have new pictures of our room up to view. Maybe I will run and get us new curtains as well! I still have some Christmas money left to spend!