* Big changes ahead *

After many long discussions and lots and lots of prayers, Brett and I have decided that it would be in Summer and my family's best interest for me to stay home with her for the time being. Since I have been out on maternity leave my life has changed directions in a big way. Not only am I a mother to my little girl, I am now more involved in taking care of my grandparents.

My mom and sister moved in with my grandparents back in August of 2008 because my grandfather felt that he could no longer take care of himself or my grandmother alone anymore. My grandmother has had Alzheimer's for several years now, and recently we have seen a dramatic change in her. She no longer knows where she is and is quickly forgetting who we are. She also has Macular Degeneration and is almost completely blind now. She needs help with everything she does. My grandfather has had Emphysema and heart disease for several years also, and was put on oxygen full time last year. He has a hard time moving around and doing daily activities - so between my mother, sister and I we have all pitched in to help.

My mother is the powerhouse of it all and has sacrificed most of what she loves to see that they are well taken care of. It has been a challenge for all of us, but we are family and we will always be there for each other.

Since I am free during the weekdays, I have started going over to their house to help them with whatever they need done for the day. I do their laundry, wash dishes, pick up around the house, and do my Nanny's hair and makeup 3 times a week so that they can go to Cardiac Rehab. While they are gone to rehab I run to the grocery store if needed and pick my sister up from school. This has helped my mother from having so much to do in the evenings once she gets home from work, and has allowed her to start doing the things she enjoys a little more.

Staying home is a plus for me, because now I am able to spend more time with my family , and most of all watch my Summer girl as she is growing up so fast :)

Summer passed out asleep in the car after playing hard with all of her toys :

Summer has started teething recently, so now everything that she grabs goes straight into her mouth!!

My happy girl :)

* The best gifts of all are priceless memories *

This past Wednesday, I woke up in the middle of the night to a bad stomach bug. I was so sick and I knew that I wasn't going to be able to take care of Summer that day and I definitely didn't want to pass it on to her. So Brett called his cousin Dana and she so kindly offered to keep Summer for the day so that I could rest and get over it. Brett works for Dana's husband Jason and he goes to their house every morning anyways, so he just dropped Summer off as they was heading out for the day. I was so appreciative that Dana took such good care of my baby for the whole day because I know she's a super busy woman having 3 children of her own!!

I started feeling better that night once Summer came home, and I was completely better by Thursday morning. Summer, thank the Lord did not get the stomach bug and she has been as happy as can be.

Today I went to work for the first time since Summer was born. Since I work at a children's dentist, a lot of parents try to get their kids in to get work done during their time off from school, so I offered to help out over the Christmas break. My mom came over to my house to take care of Summer while I was at work. I was a little bummed out driving to work this morning because I'm not used to being away from Summer and I missed her really bad. I enjoyed seeing the girls that I work with and catching up with them, but I was so ready to get home and hug my Summer girl :)

Brett got home shortly after I did and he handed me a photo album full of pictures that Dana had taken while she watched Summer for me earlier this week. I had no idea that she had taken any pictures, and I was speechless at what a nice gesture this was. I immediately started to tear up looking at the pictures, they were all so beautiful!! I couldn't have asked for a better present, and I will cherish these forever.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town!!!

Summer's great-grandmother "Meme" gave her an early Christmas present the other day of a whole wardrobe of new Christmas clothes - so that she could get good use out of them before Christmas was over!! She got 2 new pairs of pajamas, 6 Christmas onesies, and the cutest light up socks ever! Here is Summer showing off my favorite new outfit :
"Thanks Meme for my new Christmas clothes, I love them!!"

We can't wait for Summer's first Christmas, this is such an exciting time of the year. Summer seems pretty excited too :)

Here is Summer and her daddy in front of the Christmas Tree at Meme's house.


Showing off her new Christmas tree pajamas while relaxing with her daddy :)

The Daniels Family Christmas Gathering

On Saturday, Brett, Summer, and I drove down to Evans,GA for the Daniels Family Christmas party. It was held at Brett's brother Wes's house, and here is a picture of Brett's father's side of the family :


Here is Summer with her Great-Grandmother Rose. She lives down in Beaufort, SC so she is not able to see Summer very often. This was her second time holding her. Summer really seemed to love her as you can see in this picture :

This is Brett's grandmother Rose and Papa Lem, they both just turned 80 years old!! Their love and admiration for one another is an inspiration to all couples young and old.

Here is Aunt Felicia holding Summer's cousin Ansley, me feeding Summer girl, and Summer's Aunt Cori in the back.

Brett and I relaxing after stuffing ourselves :)

Aunt Darbee holding baby Ansley, and Aunt Felicia with Summer :

Here is Summer with her cousin Ansley. Ansley is Brett's brother Wes's baby and she was born on August 11th, making her only 3 weeks older than Summer!! Although they don't look too interested in each other in this picture, they were soo cute together. I look foward to watching the two of them grow up together and I love that Summer has a cousin so close in age :)

We really enjoyed getting together with the Daniels family and were glad that most everyone was able to come. It doesn't happen near enough since everyone lives so scattered around, but hopefully we can start making this a new Christmas tradition!!

*Daddy/Daughter bonding time*

So the other day our upstairs toilet died on us. It was very old and had never been replaced since the house was built, so we knew it would happen eventually. Since Brett has been plumbing for 2 years now, he said that he would pick us up a toilet and install it himself and that we could call it my "Christmas present" for this year...oh what joy!! Summer was taking a nap while he was throwing out our old toilet, and I decided that this would be a good time for me to run to the grocery store. I asked Brett to listen out for her incase she woke up while I was gone. Needless to say she did wake up, but that didn't stop Brett from getting his work done - he just got her to be his little helper!!! I thought it was too cute that he had her down there with him, so we had to get a picture of her showing off the infamous "plumber's crack" :



I promise that this toilet was brand-new and clean, we took this photo shoot before the toilet was filled with water :) She just looks so thrilled to have been a part of this experience!

The other night I asked Brett to watch Summer so that I could get some Christmas shopping done. When I returned home, this is what I saw :


He had Summer propped up in her seat with a video controller and they were playing football!! I couldn't help but laugh because Summer just looked so mesmerized by what was going on. I've always said that I was going to have a real "girly girl" for a daughter, and I hope this doesn't foretell what is in my future - because if so then I'm in for it :)


Over the past several weeks, Summer has moved on to bigger and better things. She no longer likes her pacifier and wont take it at all anymore. She is now in awe of her two middle fingers. She tried out her thumb for about a day and didn't care for that much either, but those middle fingers are her new best friends. This is quite alright with me, because now I don't have to constantly pick up and wash paci's after she spits them out, nor do I have to go searching for them before leaving the house everytime we go somewhere! Life is good :)

Mmm Mmm!!!

I thought these next two pictures really displayed Summer's happy personality well. She brightens each and every one of my days with her smiling face and I couldn't imagine life without her.