On a happier note...

Our little sweet smiler. Cooing and smiling...

Yesterday, my grandfather died. He was almost 86 years old. His birthday is June 30. Deathday is May 29. I have always been close to him. His wife, my grandmother, died 9 years ago August. We had a lot in common, he was a pilot, and I think he loved that I was flying. He always liked to tell me stories of the flying and war, and how when the war was over AA offered him a pilot job. My grandmother said he had been gone enough, and that he should take another job in Paris.
He was so generous and so thoughtful. My mom was born on Christmas (hence the name Carol) and so he "gave" mom his birthday. Every June he would give her a gift, and tell her Happy Birthday. Maybe I should do that for her this year?
Mom is in Paris and she was able to see him before he died. He told her he was so happy to see her and that he loved her. Same with her brother, Mike. Mom said it was like he was waiting for them to say goodbye. How sad, I know. But also very comforting. Closure was not really there when my grandmother died, so I know she is glad that she had some with her "daddy".
I called him Softhair. He was also Grandaddy, and Papa. He had a little dog that gave him sooo much joy. TJ. TJ is going to live with my great-uncle. I am hoping that he will bring Ralph joy. Sometimes I wonder if dogs grieve. I think that they do, they must know that something is different. The memorial for Col. Dean Aikin will be tomorrow afternoon. I know it must be so hard for my mom to go through all of his belongings and have to take care of all of these things. A sad, sad trip down memory lane, I am sure.

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Grandear and Gates. Mallie and Gates... Do we look alike??

ChaCha (Aunt Terri) and MawMaw came for a fun visit.

Soft Hair

My grandfather is out of the hospital... He is feeling pretty good. Yesterday, while still in the hospital, he shared with my Uncle Mike, that Carol (my mom) was pregnant. This is kind of sad, but also funny. When my mom went back up to the hospital he told her that Mike just would not believe that she was pregnant. Mom just said she told him, "Daddy, I am 65 years old!!!!" I guess he smiled a little, but he seems to really be looking forward to his new "grandchild" He is at home now and feeling good (and more lucid)

it's a girl

Well, it happened yesterday. SOme lady called my beautiful baby girl a.... boy. :(
I will NEVER dress her in yellow again.

We had a most fabulous playdate. I am so glad that Gates has some friends. I am even more glad that I have some friends that get what is going on in my life! How selfish of me, right? I am so pumped that we get to have another get together in June!

I just went to James Avery and visited. I picked up some engraving that was done. I also knocked a gift out of the way for my sister in law who is graduating high school (not from JA, just in case she is reading) Now, I need a gift for a dude that is graduating from HS and heading to A&M (God bless his soul). Any ideas for a boy grad gift? I also need some 1 year old birthday gifts. Any ideas on that? Maybe some books?

It has been six weeks (almost) since I gave birth, time to start dieting. I am not too concerned with my weight, but I would like to fit into my clothes. I mean I can not afford to buy an entire new wardrobe. Maybe someone will sign me up for What Not To Wear as a mom who let herself go. :) You know, my cousin's wife went on that show, her students nominated her...

I am sooo pumped about the holiday weekend. 3 days of baby help from baby daddy! We are going to Granbury Monday so Gates can meet her great uncle and great aunt. Brandon is going to play golf with the old men. I think that is pretty much all we have going on.

My grandfather, SoftHair, is back in the hospital, keep him in your prayers please. I was so looking forward to introducing him to Gates today, but he has an infection and I did not think I should expose her to it. I hope he gets well soon, so I can take her to Paris to meet him. I know meeting her will cheer him up. Afterall, they have the same hair style...

Gates's hairstyle.

Soft Hair's hairstyle. I call him that b/c he has always had a buzz and it was soft and I liked to rub his hair when I was tiny...

"Nobody puts baby in the corner" hence the sad look.

Keelan thinks this is funny!

I just fed Gates. Tonight is her first night in her own room, and I am a bit nervous. She is doing pretty good though and seems happy enough. I was just reading this blog about this baby that never woke up from her nap, now I am scared to leave Gates alone in her room. What a nightmare that would be. Can you imagine? That would be the worst nightmare in the world. My heart is going out to her parents and also to the guy (on another blog) whose wife died after giving birth to their daughter. His blog is all about him raising his daughter alone. Man, these people are strong. As you all know, I am a worrier, so I will probably be tired tomorrow b/c I might just stand above the crib to make sure Gates is okay. I do know if I died Brandon would do a GREAT job raising our daughter. I also know that he would have endless support and help. I am off to bed now (or to stand watch) Goodnight!

Update:
Gates did GREAT on her own last night! She woke up to eat at 3:30 and then slept until almost 8:30! She likes it in there.

Being a mom can be CONFUSING!!!

There have been several times where I am at a loss of what the heck something is, does, or how it goes...
The first time was way back when I was newly pregnant and at a friend's baby shower. Some of those gifts might as well have been from the moon! I mean what is a bulb syringe for? What is and how do you work a bottle sterilizer?? (Basically, it is a covered bowl that you stick in the microwave and heat up your bottles... one of the many things I wish I invented)
So, the other day I took my first outing to a store with Gates. I parked next to the cart return so that I could get a cart and get her all settled in... Well, this sounds easier than it actually is! I get her carrier and I have it all settled in to the top part of the cart, however she does not seem too secure, so I just kind of hold on to the cart and the carrier... Thank God I was at Babies R Us and once I went in I saw a seasoned mother and her cart, carrier perfectly in place. So, I sneak off to an aisle where there are no other people and fix my carrier, we continued to shop without the risk of serious injury!!
I must admit I am learning a lot and next time I am at a baby shower where I have to guess what the baby equipment is, maybe I will get more than just diaper right!!!

One Month Old!!!

I do not know how she knew that was a UT hat, but she seems to be a Tech fan for sure!!! (sorry dad)

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

We had a great weekend! We were lucky enough to have Brandon's brother come and meet his new little niece. It might not have been the most exciting weekend of his life, but he did say that he experience "instant love"... Uncle Peyton really is a great guy, and good with babies... Although, he decided to wait on changing a diaper, I told him that I would wait too, and the first one I ever changed was just 4 weeks ago!!!

Dee Dee also came for a quick visit on Thursday afternoon.

On Sunday we went over to my parent's house for mother's day. Brandon made a very special mother's day, and I appreciated that a lot! If you are looking for me next weekend, I will be at my niece's 9th birthday party... ;)

grandear, bopop, and their 4 grandkids

Life cycle

Right after Gates was born, my grandfather, Softhair, had a heart attack. Thankfully, he is back home and feeling okay. When this happened though, and he was in the hospital, I started thinking about our life cycle.
My great-aunt Mel Ruth passed away last night. Again, I began to think about our life cycle and the emotions that are involved with it. When a new life enters our world we are so overjoyed with wonderful feelings. When a life ends we feel so sad and full of mourning we often feel compltely left behind. When we are born, we come into the world crying. We do not want to exit that comfortable home that has kept us so safe for 10 months. We then begin to live our lives, and for most of us we are in some level scared of death. We enter the world scared and then we immediately start worrying about our exit. We should never have been scared of entering, think how much better we have it once we are born into the world. I have a feeling death is much like that. Scared for no reason at all.

My heart goes out to Martha Kate, because she has lost her mother. My heart goes out to John D because he has lost a wife of over 50 years. I pray that they can have some kind of peace in knowing that Mel Ruth is no longer suffering and that she has completed her journey on this earth. She certainly brought joy to so very many people, right from the time she exited her mother's warm and comfortable womb! She never stopped bringing happiness, and intelligence, and her savvy ways to all of us who were lucky enough to know her.

Perfect, we think so. I swear Gates smiled today. I know, it might have been a poot, but normally I hear the poots and I did not hear anything when she was smiling at me! She seems like she is getting so much bigger now. Filling out, if you will.

It is Wednesday, hump day. You might not think I would care what day it is. The truth is Wednesday is now more important than ever, 2 more days until Brandon will be able to help me solid for the weekend!!!! Yippie for hump day!

Sweet Scrabble and Gates........
Scrabble wanted to play steamroller with Gates....

Gates had a lot of excitement this weekend. On Friday night we went to Chili's. Gates slept the whole time, and we even got dessert!

Saturday we went and had lunch in Frisco at the Hake's house!

Here is a picture of Gates and Keelan.

Then we went over to Garland and saw GG MawMaw and The Rapps! Gates got to meet her little cousin Clayton.

Yesterday, I took Gates to my niece, Raedyn's, first communion. Gates got to meet her 3 cousins on that side. Thank God my mom was there to help me, I do not think I am ready for solo outings yet.

Raedyn, getting her first communion.
Rhylie and Charlie checking out their new cous! Charlie kept saying, "baby, baby"

The last couple of days and nights have been good. I have been sleeping in spurts when Gates sleeps in spurts! She had longer spurts last night which was GREAT! She really is such a pleasure and her demeanor is so good. Tomorrow, we think we are going to go out to eat! It will be her first outing to eat. Her first outing was to James Avery, where she got to meet some very special new friends! I got her charm bracelet engraved and her very first Christmas ornament! I used to work at James Avery, they are special friends for that reason, not because I shop there soooo much. :)


Gates after her bath!

She smells so clean and fresh (unlike Duncan) that he had to get a sniff.

Gates prebath!