Moody Moments

Big Sister and Little Brother

2012-01-08T23:24:00.000-05:00

My little lady!

What a face!

One Month

2012-01-03T22:13:00.000-05:00

Christmas with the Moody Fam

2011-12-24T21:51:00.000-05:00

Benjamin and Kayligrace served as the elves and handed out all the presents.

Kayligrace got a baby doll, complete with crib, high chair, and sling! Now she gets to take care of her baby while Mommy takes cares of Micah. So sweet.(Thanks Aunt Mari!)

"Grandma's Wrecking Crew"

Micah enjoyed the festivites too. Slept right through them...

...wherever he could find a spot.

Another Moody in the Cradle

2011-12-21T21:33:00.000-05:00

Steven's grandparents built this cradle for their grandbabies, and now the next generation of Moodys has slept in it too. Micah is the most recent.

All the plaques on the right have the names of the original grandbabies, Steven included. So sweet.

Thanks, Ms. Reta, for our little buddies!

Birth Pictures

2011-12-03T14:19:00.007-05:00

After repeated requests for more pictures, I decided to post a few on the blog.

The was a pre-birth shot with Kayligrace. Her expression cracks me up.

Our eldest cutie pie, again:

Here's Beth, in the delivery room, before labor has started.

A close-up that shows some of Lil Hoss' cute features.

A very happy, tired Mommy. A very big, handsome Hoss.

2011-11-30T17:36:00.002-05:00

One of their favorite things to do: watch children's videos on YouTube with Grandaddy.

2011-11-30T17:27:00.002-05:00

More videos? You bet! This one is Kayligrace singing Zacchaeus Was A Wee Little Man.

2011-11-30T17:15:00.003-05:00

Look at that belly!
(Two pieces, part 2)

2011-11-30T15:02:00.001-05:00

Two pieces

I Get to Meet My Little Boy!

2011-11-29T22:38:00.001-05:00

We had another ultrasound this morning, and they did a weight measurement again. They measured him at 10 lb, 14 oz. !!! The fluid level had gone down a bit, and his thigh bone measured at about 39 weeks, but he's still measuring pretty large. Whether he actually comes out weighing that much or not, I guess we'll see.

The OB/GYN who consulted with us at our ultrasound said that when babies get this big, they normally offer (note: not suggest, just offer) a c-section if the parents want it. She said that there is a 10% chance in babies this size of shoulder dystocia (the head is born but the shoulders get stuck). Of babies whose shoulders get stuck, 10% of those (so about 2% of babies this size) have permanent nerve damage. We aren't really worried about being in this 2%, especially since we've heard so many stories of babies who didn't end up as large as their ultrasounds said they'd be. I appreciate their caution, though.

After that appointment, we headed to the birth center where we met with one of the midwives. She was very helpful in talking through our options with us while at the same time allowing us to make most of these decisions. We were all in agreement that, at this point, it's time to get things moving, so we opted to try to get labor started by the end of the week (i.e. inducing labor). There are lots of different options for doing this: out-of-hospital things like acupuncture and herbs, or in-hospital procedures like breaking my water, stripping the membranes, or using Pitocin. She did an internal exam to try to figure out how ready my body might be for labor, and I was already dilated 4 cm - i.e. my cervix is "very ripe." Long story short, with as much fluid as I have, my uterus might actually be less capable of contracting effectively enough to really get labor going, so we want to try to let some of it out. There is, however, a heightened risk of the umbilical cord slipping out below the baby's head if my water was to break (very bad), so we're going with a modified version called "needling the membranes." They will poke needle-sized holes in my water bag to let some of the fluid out slowly, thus allowing the baby's head to drop down into place without the cord slipping out first. This will be a very controlled process with lots of close observation, which we felt was the safest and best option for our situation. After this is done, we will play the waiting game for a few hours and hope that my labor will start in earnest now that the uterus has a bit more room to work. If nothing happens, then we will talk about using Pitocin to move things along.

Inducing labor. Going into this pregnancy, this was probably one of the last things that I wanted to do (or even talk about), but I can honestly say I am glad, relieved, and even excited for this decision. Inducing labor with these midwives will look significantly different than it did with Kayligrace. They have told me that even if they have to put me on Pitocin, I will still be able to be up and moving around, and there is a good chance that they'd take me back off of it once labor got going. They are also much more willing to wait longer for labor to progress if my body needs more time. Pretty much, as long as I'm making progress, they don't mind waiting. Yay! What a relief! If my body needs a kick-start to get going, I'm fine with that, especially if I know that I can labor at my own pace once I've started.

So, the end result of the day. Thursday at 8 am I will be at UNC hospital beginning the process that will end in me meeting my precious little boy, and I CANNOT WAIT! What a gift. What a privilege. What a blessing. Thank you, Lord, for this amazing opportunity of joining You in bringing another life into this world, and thank you for the tremendous gift of caring for your child. May he grow to know, love, and serve You as his Savior and King, and may we bless and honor You in how we parent him.

A Good Week

2011-11-23T15:54:00.001-05:00

We've had a fairly good week this week in terms of ultrasounds and our visit with the midwives. We even made it to UNC on Tuesday and got to do a private hospital tour to see where we'll be delivering. It's a pretty typical hosptial (other than the fact that it's located right on UNC's campus, boo), but it was good to get somewhat familiar with it and not feel like we were overwhelmed by the immensity of it (like we did the first time we were there).

We had our ultrasound on Monday, and other than waiting an hour before being seen, they said baby boy still looks good. We saw proof that, yes, he is still a boy, and all his vitals looked good too. They even gave us some pictures on a cd this time, which is nice. They said he is still swimming in a pretty big swimming pool, and his pool has actually gotten a little larger since last week. Nothing to necessarily be concerned about, it just means my belly is STILL getting bigger.

We saw the midwives on Tuesday, and that was a good visit too. Little Man's heartbeat was great, my uterus actually measured an inch or two smaller than last week (which doesn't mean too much since each midwife measures slightly differently anyway), and I might have actually lost a pound of weight. Not really sure, because they said the scale was measuring off, but I'm not really worried about it because I haven't even gained 30 pounds yet this pregnancy.

Good news in the blood sugar department this week. My numbers were reading so good that the midwife told me I only need to take measurements twice a day now! Yay! I've had a small handful of high readings (maybe four or five?), but all my fasting readings have been great. They said that the fasting ones are the ones that are really important, so they are very happy with my numbers. Yay for only pricking my finger twice a day now!

The other potentially good news is that there is a procedure that we could look into doing in which they actually remove some amniotic fluid from my belly. This would not only make me more comfortable, but it could also help trigger labor. The midwife said that sometimes, if a woman has too much fluid, it can actually prevent her stomach from having effective contractions. (I think maybe this is what happened with Kayligrace - hence having extra fluid, going two weeks overdue, and still having to be induced.) So we are hoping to talk to the OB/GYN who does our next ultrasound about possibly having this done. I've been having fairly regular Braxton-Hicks contractions (fake or practice contractions) for quite a while now, and lately they've felt stronger but have still never amounted to anything. I'm hoping we can have this done and then go into labor soon thereafter! Wouldn't that be exciting?! If you're praying for us, please pray for wisdom in making this decision and that I would go into labor without having to be induced this go round.

Well, that's all I've got for this week, but I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you know that we are thankful for you! Thank you for your continued prayers!

Profile shot

3D: Look at that adorable nose!

And those huge cheeks - already!

Still Looking Good

2011-11-16T22:26:00.001-05:00

We had another ultrasound yesterday morning. The baby's movements and heartbeat all looked great. They watched to see if he was doing his "practice breathing" in there, and he was doing it quite a bit. Pretty much, it's just his little abdomen expanding and contracting, but it was sweet to see. They said that this is a good indicator of overall well-being, so things still look good. They only measure his weight every three weeks, so hopefully we don't make it to the next one of those. :)

After our ultrasound, I went to our weekly prenatal appointment. Everything looked good there too. We listened to his heartbeat again, and it sounded great. I got to talk to the midwife a lot about what the details of our hospital birth would look like, and in a lot of ways it was reassuring. Their job is to be prepared for the unexpected, and it became even more clear to me that this is why they feel that a hospital birth is best. If problems were to arise, it would be best to have doctors nearby and/or the NICU team if necessary. I am still praying that we will have a problem-free delivery, but I appreciate their preparedness.

My only lingering concern is that my "risk factors" would play into how my midwife handles the progression of my labor. Every woman labors differently, and one thing I was excited about with the birth center is that I knew I would feel less rushed or like I was having to give birth on someone else's schedule. I think each of the midwives at the birth center (there are about 8) would probably handle this issue differently, so we are earnestly praying for a midwife who can find a good balance between our safety and my body's natural laboring process. We would love it if you would pray with us.

On another note, things are really starting to come together on the home front. Our kids' room decorations are about halfway done, we have all our nursing and diapering gear back out and mostly organized, there are a couple of meals in our freezer, our birth bags are mostly packed, and we've got car seats and places for everybody to sleep. There is definitely more to do, but it is so nice to feel like we've actually got a good handle on our to-do list for bringing baby home. Thank you to everyone who has prayed and helped - you guys have been awesome. We can't wait to meet our precious baby boy, and we can't wait for him to meet all of you too!

Another Update

2011-11-13T18:04:00.001-05:00

On Friday, I went to the birth center to get trained in how to use my glucose meter and test my blood sugar. The finger prick didn't hurt as much as I had expected, but it definitely surprises me every time. They told me to start recording my blood sugar readings on Saturday. I do a fasting blood sugar first thing when I wake up, and then another reading 1 hour after breakfast, lunch, and dinner. On Saturday, all my readings were well below the troublesome range, but today I've had two high readings. We'll see what the next couple of days show.

After the birth center appointment, I had an appointment with a registered dietician. She gave me some pointers on what my diet should look like at this point, and I was pleasantly surprised with how little she actually wanted me to change. Most of her suggestions incorporated eating different types of foods together rather than cutting things out altogether. (She said that this helps with keeping your blood sugar from jumping too high too quickly because it helps you digest the simpler sugars more slowly.) Now, unfortunately, that doesn't apply to sweets and desserts, but I can live without those for a couple of weeks.

I also started taking evening primrose oil yesterday. Supposedly, this can help prep the cervix so that maybe my body will go into labor a little earlier. I'm not opposed to it, but it's really up to the Lord. We'll just have to wait and see.

As far as how we are doing overall, I'd say we are doing really well. We have adjusted to the change and have realized that there is really nothing for us to worry about. Whether we deliver on the 19th or not, I don't really care anymore. (Of course, I'd love to meet this little man whenever the Lord decides to give him to us!) Even if I go to the full 40 weeks (or more), I fully believe that my body is designed for this and that I can birth a big baby. Period. I'm beginning to wonder why everyone at the birth center got so worked up about him being big, but all this fuss will only last a few more weeks at most, and then I just get to love on my baby boy.

Won't that be a glorious day?

37 weeks, 1 day

My precious baby girl.

A Good Day

2011-11-10T15:17:00.001-05:00

I got a call back from my midwives today saying that my glucose tests were perfect. Yay! I still officially don't have gestational diabetes, which is a relief to me because I was feeling a little bit like this was all my fault. I'm going to pick up my glucometer and other equipment today and will go in tomorrow morning to get trained in how to use it. The bad news: I found out I'll have to do at least a week of pricking my finger FOUR times a day! Oh well, whatever it takes for this little man to be healthy. I'm also scheduled to visit the nutritionist tomorrow and map out a game plan for my eating. I'm kind of glad for that appointment because I'm hoping it will help me be a little more creative with my high protein, low carb meal planning.

I also feel like I'm really adjusting to our new situation for giving birth. For a few days, everything felt like it was happening in a story but not really to me. Not necessarily because it was so bad, but more because it all seemed to happen so fast. But I've had a ton of people encourage me with prayer, stories, and offers to help (THANK YOU!), and I feel like we're already seeing the good that is coming out of all this. (Maybe I can share some of that later.) This new game plan is beginning to feel a lot more "normal," rather than an idea I'm getting used to, and I feel like I'm already beginning to walk forward on this new path God is leading us down, rather than still sitting at the crossroads wondering what happened.

Again, thank you to everyone who is praying, encouraging, and helping out. It has been amazing to feel so supported and loved through all of this, and I feel like you guys are the ones who helped give us the boost to begin moving forward again. We love you guys!

Adventures with Baby Boy Moody

2011-11-09T14:43:00.001-05:00

Normally, this is a picture blog. But, I needed an outlet to share the latest news and developments from the land of pregnancy. So, get ready for the ride - it's a bumpy one...

Friday, November 4
We went in for our regular prenatal appointment at the Birth Center with our midwives. At each appointment, they externally measure the uterus to see how much the baby is growing. And the goal is for the measurement to come out about the same as the number of weeks pregnant you are. At this appointment, I was almost 36 weeks, so I should have measured around 36 cm. Now, I've been measuring a little bit big (just like I did with Kayligrace), but it was never enough for anyone to be concerned. Until now. Instead of 36 cm, I measured somewhere between 41-43 cm, depending on who was measuring. And that was large enough to get some people concerned.

No one was super-worried, but they decided to go ahead and schedule an ultrasound so that they could just get a better idea of what was going on and make sure there was nothing problematic. So we went about business as usual, except that now we were slightly proud of what looked to be another bigger baby.

Tuesday, November 8
We had our ultrasound this morning, and that's when the fun truly began. Baby Boy Moody weighed in at a whopping 9 lbs 12 oz, plus I have a highly elevated level of amniotic fluid! And remember, I'm was only 36 weeks, 3 days pregnant at the time. Okay, maybe we are now slightly less proud of our big baby and now slightly more worried about getting this little guy out - especially if he keeps growing. The doctor at the hospital where we had our ultrasound done urged us to call our midwives and talk about our plan of action from here. We readily agreed.

I talked to one of the midwives this afternoon, and got some news that was really, really disappointing for us. We can no longer have our baby at the Birth Center like we had deeply hoped, but instead we will have to deliver at a hospital (UNC to be exact). The midwives will still be with us throughout labor, and they will still deliver this baby (as long as everything goes well), but the setting will be different. We had gotten really, really excited about all the different aspects of delivering outside of a hospital, so this made for a really tough afternoon, but we know that this decision was made for the safety of baby and me. So, after quite a few tears, talking, praying and grieving, we are learning to adjust to this new plan.

Wednesday, November 9
We had another prenatal visit with our midwives today. It was helpful because they gave us a lot more information, but it was also slightly overwhelming too. We did a non-stress test to ensure that baby was still doing well. (He played slightly hard to get, but eventually we found him.) We listened to his heartbeat. They drew a fasting blood sample to measure my sugar, we went and had some breakfast, and then we came back for them to draw another blood sample. This tells them how my body responds to the sugars I eat. We didn't get the results from the blood tests today, but everything with baby looked great.

The information they gave us about our hospital-midwife experience was encouraging after the disappointment of the night before. We were reassured that the midwives who accompany us to the hospital will do everything the same as if we had been at the birth center, and they will also help run interference for us so that we won't have to worry about some of the "routine" hospital procedures. We are still very hopeful for a natural, drug-free birth, and that's what we ask you guys to continue to pray with us for.

They also gave us the reality side of this story today, too. This little man has a propensity to be big, and it is now my job to do everything I can to minimize his growth. This involves a very purposeful diet (high protein, low carbs) and increased exercise. If the baby's weight exceeds 5000 g (just over 11 lbs), I will have to be delivered by a doctor. There are multiple concerns with a baby this big, including an increased chance of postpartum hemorrhage and shoulder dystocia (the baby's shoulders getting stuck while pushing). Hence, the decision to deliver at a hospital instead of a birth center. But, if the baby exceeds the 5000 g mark and a doctor delivers, there is a much, much higher chance that I'd have to have a c-section, partly because to a doctor, that would seem the safest avenue. The national average for c-sections in hospitals is about 1 in 3, which means that midwives actually deliver a higher percentage of babies vaginally than do doctors. It is our #2 goal (after delivering a healthy baby) to deliver this baby vaginally, even if it means that I'm just going to have to get stubborn about making sure that happens. And I can get very stubborn. :)

So, the day-to-day side to all this. I'm already seeing my midwives once a week, but I will also start having ultrasounds once a week as well. This will continue to monitor his size and the amount of amniotic fluid, and it will also check for his continued health (heartbeat, movement, etc). I will also have to see a registered dietician sometime before next week to talk more specifically about my diet. Additionally, I will be getting a glucometer and doing daily finger pricks to measure my sugar levels. (I do NOT like that part.) This will help monitor how well I'm sticking to that diet (and helping to slow down his growth).

We are also now HOPING for a delivery at 38 weeks, instead of the usual 40 weeks. 37 weeks would probably be fine, but 38 weeks would ensure his full development while still limiting his growth. So our new goal due date: November 19. I know it sounds funny to pray for a baby to be delivered early, but please be praying for this with us. That only gives me a week and a half to finish getting ready to bring him home, but I am eager for it anyway. There are a couple of things we can be doing to help encourage my body to go into labor, including taking evening primrose oil, walking regularly, and other things. We will be doing these things, but it is the Lord who is the beginning and the end, and it will all happen in His timing.

Please pray with and for us - for peace to reign, for us to trust the Lord and His timing, for health for baby and myself, for success with my new diet and exercise regimen, for Little Man to not exceed 5000 g, for Baby Boy to be born Nov 19, for a natural and drug-free delivery by my midwives, and for me to do okay with all these finger pricks (I do not like needles). Please pray for Steven as he is who I am heavily leaning on during this time of disappointment and adjustment, and pray for Kayligrace as her parents deal with the craziness of this adventure. I don't want us to end up taking our stress out on her, and I would also like to make the most of these last couple weeks with her. May we make the time, and may it be extra special.

I typed up this whole post with all these details, disappointments, and hopes, but the good news at the end of it all is that, no matter what happens, we will get to bring home our baby boy. C-section, hospital delivery, a huge baby - I know these things are important to me, but they are all simply my hopes and desires. I have and will gladly and rejoicingly welcome this baby into my heart however the Lord chooses to give him to us.

Our Little Bumblebee

2011-10-31T21:55:00.000-04:00

Baby Shower with my Baby Girl

2011-10-29T20:50:00.000-04:00

I had some wonderful friends throw me a baby shower for our upcoming little boy. Kayligrace got to come with me so we snapped a few pics beforehand - in our matching boots!

This last picture is Cody and Kayligrace playing hide-and-seek. Can you find Kayligrace?

A Trip to SC

2011-10-23T21:04:00.000-04:00

Driving the tractor...with her water and flying fairy.

Steven doing our first oil change on the CRV!

Reading with Grandpa.

We love Nana and Grandpa!

SC Fair

2011-10-22T21:14:00.000-04:00

When we were in SC, we decided to go as a family to the SC State Fair. Fun times!

Kayligrace and Aunt Casey!

A dragon ride with Daddy!

The ferris wheel with Nana, Grandpa, and Aunt Casey!

See that #9 car? Yes, that IS Kayligrace's head sticking out!

Picking Out Our Pumpkin

2011-10-17T21:43:00.000-04:00

Corn Maze

2011-09-18T22:17:00.000-04:00

We kicked off fall this year by visiting a corn maze down in Garner. There were over 2 miles of trails, but this two-year-old and her pregnant mama were still able to make it to the end!

There were lots of other fun farm-themed stuff for Kayligrace to play on, and she made the most of it!

She even made a friend and wanted her picture with him!

Let the maze begin!

Taking a break.

Daddy carrying our flag...

Riding in style!

This girl knows how to turn anything into playtime!

Mapping out our course...

Daddy found her tickles!

We made it to the end!!!

And back to the play area!

Labor Day Parade

2011-09-05T22:14:00.000-04:00

Fashion Show

2011-07-06T20:42:00.000-04:00

Kayligrace thought Cody would look great in her necklace!

Four Months

2011-07-03T21:18:00.001-04:00

Four months along!
(Eighteen weeks)

Ferns and Barettes

2011-06-30T21:39:00.001-04:00

Bath Time

2011-06-28T22:07:00.000-04:00

...at Grandmama's and Grandaddy's!

17 Weeks

2011-06-28T21:50:00.000-04:00

Our Family Christmas

2010-12-25T16:12:00.006-05:00

Memories...

Kayligrace got a stroller for Christmas, and it is just her size!

Daddy was sick Christmas morning, so he needed lots of kisses to help him feel better.

Pancakes!

21 months

Christmas portraits!

Moody Christmas

2010-12-18T15:58:00.006-05:00

Christmas with the Moodys at John and Mari's.

All the grandbabies!

Tractor Time!

2010-12-17T15:41:00.004-05:00

We love playing on Grandpa's tractor!

Kayligrace is learning to drive early!

Bringing back our load of firewood!

Christmas Lights at the Zoo

2010-12-16T22:31:00.004-05:00

Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia does a Lights Before Christmas exhibit every Christmas, so this year we decided to take Kayligrace. We had a blast!

Nana in a wheelchair because of her knee surgery.

Yes, the goats were still awake and chipper.

Yes, Steven was milking the "cow."

Nana and Kayligrace on the train!

Family pics in front of the HUGE Christmas tree, complete with presents.

S'mores! Or, should I say, Firsties!

This is as close as she would get to Santa. Pretty good for her first meeting!

Play Time with Snickers

2010-12-01T22:16:00.001-05:00

First, you feed Snickers a bite of carrot.

Then, you take a bite for yourself.

Lastly, you kiss Snickers on the head while he finishes the carrot.

More Family Time

2010-11-27T21:56:00.005-05:00

Songs with Grandaddy!

Bath time!

Three babies in a tub!

Cupcakes!

Grandmama's girls

The Pig Pickin'

2010-11-27T21:09:00.004-05:00

After all of Grandaddy's work the night before, the rest of us got to enjoy the barbeque the next day!

Kayligrace's favorite part was gnawing on the bones.

Nana and Grandpa, there to enjoy the fun too.

"Hey, can I try some of that?"

Sweet Lucy

The master at work.

The Night Before...

2010-11-26T23:07:00.000-05:00

...a pig cookin'!

It all starts when Grandaddy goes and picks up the pig the night before, and then gets up cooking it at all hours throughout the night.

This was Kayligrace's first time seeing the pig beforehand, and she thought it was great fun. She's definitely got some Moody in her!

Kayligrace singing with Grandmama.

The first curl!

Aunt Casey getting some last minute snuggles before bed!

Decorating the Tree

2010-11-26T20:45:00.000-05:00

After Mom, Casey, and I finished up all our early morning shopping, they helped us put up our Christmas tree! Our tradition is to put up my parents' tree, but since they were all here we did ours instead. We got up decorations in one day that it would have taken us weeks to do without them!

Grandpa doing the hard work. :)

Kayligrace in the Christmas tree bag!

And Grandpa in the Christmas tree bag!

Aunt Casey and Kayligrace setting up the train to go around the tree!

Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T23:22:00.000-05:00

The Washington family drove up to Raleigh to do Thanksgiving with us and the Moodys this year. It was a full house, but we had a great time!

Aunt Mari and cousin Benjamin.

Cousin Lucy.

These kids sure do love their books!

And a good rocking horse!

Sweet kisses.

Daddy's giving triangle choke lessons. Look out Ramses!

Washington Family Christmas Card

2010-11-25T22:34:00.005-05:00

Sleeping Sweetly

2010-11-22T21:50:00.006-05:00

Whose Teeth are We Brushing?

2010-11-18T21:34:00.001-05:00

A Visit to the Fire Station!

2010-11-16T21:01:00.005-05:00

We went with our playgroup friends to the Fire Station! They taught us about fire safety and what the firemen do when they come to your house. We got to play in the firetruck, see a fireman in his full suit, and take a quick tour of the firehouse. We had a wonderful trip! Thanks to our brave firemen!

This is one of my ABSOLUTE. FAVORITE. pictures of her. EVER.

This is how she stood for probably a full five minutes - which is a LONG time for her. She was entranced.

All the kids got to go up close to the fireman in his gear so that they could get familiar with what a fireman would look like if they ever needed one...

...this is as close as Kayligrace ever got.

Playing in the cab of the firetruck!

All those firetrucks, and Kayligrace still found the dandelions.

Kayligrace and Zoey - playgroup buddies :)

Playgroup Fun

2010-11-11T20:01:00.003-05:00

We went to the park with our international playgroup friends. Kayligrace had a great time playing with her friends!

She also had fun sharing pieces of chocolate with them. :)

Yes, she is swinging on this swing all by herself!

Tangled Up Fun

2010-11-11T13:35:00.003-05:00

Bathtub Dessert

2010-11-09T22:22:00.000-05:00

We gave Kayligrace a lollipop today and quickly realized that the best place for her to eat it was in the bathtub!

Playin' in the Leaves

2010-11-08T21:08:00.005-05:00

Playing with my Camera

2010-11-06T20:22:00.000-04:00

One of the reasons Steven took me to the mountains for our anniversary trip was so that I could play with my camera. Here are some of my favorites.

This is one of my personal favorites.

I really like this one too.

Another of my favorites.

I can't decide whether I like this one better in color or black and white.

Four Years with My Beloved

2010-11-05T16:14:00.000-04:00

We headed to the mountains to celebrate our anniversary and had a wonderful time! We went to the Lake Lure and Chimney Rock area. Here are just a couple shots of the fun.

This is a Mexican restaurant in Morganton that we had eaten at once before, just because we were in the area. Well, I (Beth) have been wanting to go back ever since! Steven surprised me with this being our first dinner stop on the way to Lake Lure. What an amazing husband!

Isn't he handsome?

This was the River Walk near Chimney Rock State Park. It was one of our favorite spots.

We saw in one of the Lake Lure magazines that this drug store in Forest City had one of the best pimiento cheese sandwiches in all of NC...so we had to check it out! (We still think Dad Moody's pimiento cheese is better, though.)

Part of Lake Lure.

Who says we don't have any fun?

Dessert!

The infamous Chimney Rock.
(It was way too expensive to go into the state park, so we just admired from a distance...still a great view!)

Happy Anniversary

2010-11-04T23:04:00.001-04:00

Today is our anniversary, and Kayligrace gave me the best anniversary present ever...

Happy Halloween

2010-10-31T21:49:00.005-04:00

We just couldn't resist putting Kayligrace in a Pooh outfit for Halloween, and she sure did make it look cute!

We went trick-or-treating with our neighbor Amelia, and the girls had fun wandering around together!

Kayligrace and Amelia with Amelia's dad, Kieran.

First, they climbed up the stairs together.

Then they stuck their bottoms up in the air together.

Then Kayligrace would knock...

...and get the candy.

Then she would smile because she was excited!

Then Kayligrace would share her candy with Amelia.

Then they would both show it to Mommy and Daddy!

Then Amelia would show Kayligrace where to put it.

Camping - Part II

2010-10-30T21:00:00.000-04:00

My first s'more!

Camping - Part I

2010-10-30T19:59:00.011-04:00

We took Kayligrace camping for her first time at Uwharrie National Forest over Halloween weekend, and we had a blast! It was frigid cold (especially at night), but we got to go hiking and play by the lake and eat s'mores! So fun!

Our first night's supper: soup.

Kayligrace was really excited about the tent. :)

Attack kisses!

What a handsome guy. :)

And what an adorable little girl!

Daddy teaches me the important stuff...like throwing rocks in the water.

Playing with my camera.

There seemed to be hunters everywhere, but we managed to find some pretty safe areas to hike.

Daddy's little girl.

Sweet kisses.

Daddy doing nap time.

Park

2010-10-24T20:32:00.001-04:00

We went to Marsh Creek Park today near our house. They had a walking trail and boardwalk through the woods, as well as a fun playground. I had just taken one of my photography classes, so I had fun playing with my camera settings.

Experimenting...not sure yet how I feel about this one, but it sure does make her eyes pop.

My favorite way to go down a slide - on my tummy!

Yep, I'm eating sand.

Gardenias in October!

Kayligrace climbed into the trunk of the Honda...by herself. Oh, for the world to be my playground again!

Playin'

2010-10-21T21:50:00.002-04:00

State Fair

2010-10-21T20:37:00.003-04:00

We went to the State Fair today, and Kayligrace had a blast!

My first funnel cake sure was tasty...and messy!

"Are you sure I can't ride this one?"

Kayligrace and mommy got to ride the kiddie helicopter ride!

The best seat in the house!

Wore plumb out!

A fun family day at the fair. :)

Sugar Cookies

2010-10-10T23:23:00.006-04:00

Nana hooked us up with some sugar cookie dough and cookie cutters while she and Grandpa were visiting this weekend, and Kayligrace and I spent an evening making sugar cookies together!

The supplies...
...wait, it kind of looks like someone has been digging out pieces of the dough on that right side!!

Aha!

Caught in the act!

"Yep, it was me!"
Ah, the innocence of being able to admit our guilt....

The artist at work.

Viola!

"M" for mommy. "D" for daddy. "K" for Kayligrace.

Nana & Grandpa

2010-10-10T13:14:00.001-04:00

Nana & Grandpa came to visit us this weekend! They got to play with Kayligrace while Mommy & Daddy went to a wedding, and they had a blast!

"Stroller" ride.

Playing with Snickers.

"Don't you want this grass, Snickers?"

Helping Grandpa fix the stroller...

...and change the oil.

My first oil change!

Make sure we wash up afterwards!

Helping Nana fix drinks.

Snuggle!

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-07T20:43:00.007-04:00

We went with some of our Chi Alpha friends to a local pumpkin patch today. Some of these pumpkins were as big as Kayligrace!

First, we made sure all the machinery was in good, working order.

Now, it's time to get to work.

...or play.

Kayligrace with some of our international playgroup friends.

Nothin' beats a good shoulder ride!

Friends

2010-09-30T09:22:00.001-04:00

Friends

(a picture poem)

You can talk to them on the phone.

Or climb in their cage.

Or read stories with them!

I love my friends.

Playin' in the Rain

2010-09-27T13:15:00.005-04:00

Mommy found a raincoat and some rain boots at a recent consignment sale, and we finally got to try them out today!

Mommy is giving lessons in jumping in puddles.

Yes, she is drinking it.

18 Months

2010-09-25T10:02:00.001-04:00

Happy half-birthday Kayligrace!

What a wonderful year and a half we have had together!

You are such a joy!

Daddy's gift to Kayligrace.

Kayligrace's gift to Daddy.

Kisses!

Yogurt

2010-09-14T14:30:00.003-04:00

From bowl to mouth...all by myself!

Check out that concentration!

There's No Place Like Home

2010-09-12T14:18:00.002-04:00

Crayons!

2010-09-07T21:16:00.003-04:00

Kayligrace has really gotten into coloring lately! She's not a big fan of coloring on the paper, so we spread out newspaper underneath it. Coloring on that is just as much fun as her coloring book!

Family Time

2010-08-03T21:44:00.006-04:00

We spent a few days at Grandmama and Grandaddy's house, and we had a great time playing with our cousins!

Everybody pile on Uncle John!

Kayligrace loves to wear Grandaddy's hat!

Gotcha!

Our friends, the Pattersons, took us to a shooting range way back in the woods, and we sure did have some fun!

Go, Mrs. Patterson!

Hot stuff!

Fun in the Sun

2010-06-24T21:19:00.001-04:00

Snacking on a cookie from Nana!

Why yes, I am reclining.

Reading in a sand chair like Mommy does.

Aunt Casey taught me how to eat apples dipped in peanut butter. Yum!

Family Photos

2010-06-23T21:02:00.000-04:00

Whew! That was a lot of work!

More Beach Fun

2010-06-22T20:48:00.003-04:00

Playing with Aunt Casey!

Daddy caught a sting ray too! They were everywhere that evening, just swimming around our feet!

Another Day at the Beach

2010-06-21T22:58:00.016-04:00

Kayligrace had fun doing more than just play in the sand and waves...

...like playing in the bubbles with Grandpa!

We went fishing a couple evenings, and I caught this guy in a cast net!

We put him in a bucket...

...and he killed the minnows. :(

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T20:30:00.005-04:00

To the best, most wonderful Daddy Kayligrace could ever have...and to the best husband & friend I could ever want too. We love you!

A Week at the Beach

2010-06-19T20:49:00.013-04:00

We just got back from a week at the beach, and Kayligrace had a blast this year. Probably because she could actually play in the sand and water this time! All we'd have to say was, "Kayligrace, do you want to go to the beach?" And she'd start up with, "Beach, beach, beach," until we finally got down there...so fun!

Good Sleepin'

2010-06-10T16:11:00.001-04:00

We have walked in to check on Kayligrace a couple of times and found her in some adorable positions. Here are some of our recent finds.

This was right before Steven and I went to bed, but that belly was so hard to resist!

We were trying so hard not to die laughing when we found this one! I mean, how did she even pull this off?

We went in to get her up after her nap one day and found that she had somehow gotten all these books into her crib and was doing a bit of extracurricular reading. No wonder we hadn't heard her sooner!

Discovering the Playground

2010-06-07T22:39:00.009-04:00

We have started going to play at the playground in the past couple months. Kayligrace LOVES the space to explore, as well as getting to play on the slides, swings, and many other contraptions that I don't know the names for.

"I know I can get into these crackers somehow!"

The playground tunnel.

The sliiiiiiiiiide!

Playing with Grandpa on the trampoline!

Playing in the water outside...

...with Daddy and the hose!

That is some cold water...

...but I am not letting go of my garden spade!

Cousins

2010-05-28T21:52:00.000-04:00

These were taken in early April.

Nothing like holding a napping baby!

Sweet Lucy.

"We'll help you later, Grandaddy."

Love, Aunt Casey

2010-05-26T21:43:00.004-04:00

I found these pictures on an old memory card (Nov 2009), and they were just too cute to pass up. Thanks, Aunt Casey, for such an adorable outfit!

More Strawberries

2010-05-10T22:38:00.005-04:00

We went strawberry picking again with Grandmama and Grandaddy at a local berry patch in Bailey. Yum!

We see who really did all the berry picking today!

Proof that at least one berry actually made it into the bucket...or wait, is she getting one out?

Her real personality breaks out!

The little birds watching us from their comfy houses.

Yummy strawberry pie!

Asheville

2010-05-08T14:46:00.007-04:00

We went to Asheville to visit Uncle John and Aunt Mari, and we sure did have some fun!

Playing with cousin Benjamin on Uncle John's new riding lawn mower!

All the grand-babies!

If at first you don't succeed...ask Uncle Beast for help!

All this playing will wear a Grandmama out!

"Are you going to eat that?"

Strawberry Patch

2010-05-06T20:56:00.002-04:00

Kayligrace visited her first strawberry patch today, and she had a BLAST! She decided that removing the stems and leaves was for the faint of heart, so she didn't even do that as she plowed her way across the strawberry path. We went with a group of international moms and their kids who we have been hanging out with lately, and Daddy even stopped by to enjoy the fun!

Our playgroup friends!

This face does not even begin to do justice to the incredible mess we made!

Spring Has Sprung!

2010-04-21T20:47:00.011-04:00

Pictures from around the house - literally. We've been enjoying our garden and discovering all that was here before us! Kayligrace has been enjoying playing outside too, especially helping Mommy play in the dirt!

We found an entire bed of Irises that are just beautiful, and we had our first two bloom this week! (I had a great time playing with my camera with these.)

It rained today, and I had a FIELD DAY with these rain droplets.

Seriously fun.

These shoots have started springing up all over the place, but we have no idea what they are. Any ideas?

Kayligrace got all dressed up last weekend for Kiri's wedding. Adorable!

We only have one of these little guys, and he is REALLY little. But what beautiful color!

We added these guys to our garden and can't wait to get some tasty berries! Kayligrace couldn't figure out why there was a strawberry laying on the ground that she couldn't eat!

Not quite ready yet!

We just found out that this is probably a peony and that it's supposed to be beautiful when it blooms. Yay!

This is called "hosta," and we found it growing in the shade along the side of the house. We don't even know when it showed up because we rarely go over there!

The azaleas in front. We think the two that aren't blooming yet are going to be pink.

A hydrangea bush (or the wedding flower, as I like to call it) that was blooming blue when we moved in last October.

First, Mommy got dirt out of this bucket.

Then, she patted it down like this.

Mommy's little gardener.

Easter with the Fam

2010-04-05T13:31:00.002-04:00

We spent Easter visiting with the Moody family. John, Mari, Benjamin, and Lucy were here too, so we had a grand ol' time!

Now that's good napping!

Meet Ellen Lucille, whom we call "Lucy."

Birthday cake!

More Easter egg hunting!

(I think this one is adorable.)

Smile!

Grandaddy surrounded by his baby girls!

"We're going to be good friends."

giggles

the "artistic" shot

Hugs!

What a face!

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T20:30:00.004-04:00

Easter egg hunts...

...and Easter dresses.

Dinner Music

2010-03-30T20:20:00.003-04:00

Eating with Kayligrace is always a treat. This is a clip of some of her (in)famous "music" at the dinner table.

Happy Birthday Kayligrace

2010-03-25T21:01:00.007-04:00

One. Whole. Year.

I never could have imagined what it has been like.

The tears, the unimaginable joy, the laughter and giggles, the snuggles, the fun.

What a gift our precious baby girl has been.

I made a Panda Bear cake for her birthday party. It was a lot of work. Jaimie, here are your pictures. :)

Nana brought balloons!

strawberry lemonade punch

After presents we had cake...

First, she put her fingers in it.

Then, her face.

The rest was history.

Way to make Mommy proud!